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1888. 




Book^-A/ k J3-14 



(fynj <artv&£c<sc±# ur^ 







HISTORICAL SKETCH 



OF THE 



First Presbyterian Church 



OF 



VICTOR, N. Y. 



Including an Introductory Sketch op Victor and its Early 

History and an Appendix with Rolls op Ministers, 

Officers and Church Members; some Important 

Documents ; a Roll of the Sabbath School 

in 1888; the Statute and Church 

Laws Governing this 

Organization. 






by 

Rev. CLARENCE W. BACKUS, 
Trie Pastor. 



July 2, 1888. 



FT; 



NOTE. 

I am indebted to the folloiving sources for much of the 
historical matter in these sketches. 

Turner s Phelps and Gorham Purchase. 

Rev. fames H. HotcJikin s History of the purchase and 
settlement of Western New York and the Rise, Progress and 
present state of the Presbyterian CJntrch in that section. 

Documentary History. 

IV. H. Mcintosh's History of Ontario County. 

Records of t lie Presbyterian Church of Victor, from 1788 
to the present time. 

" Half Century of the Presbytery of Ontario. " 

" Half Century of the Presbytery of Rochester. " 



So far as practicable I have aimed to compile from estab- 
lished records and history as thereby enhancing the Jiistorical 
value oj these sketches. Everything is carefully substantiated 
from the various sources of vif or mat ion. 

•ffc 



X\ 



CONTENTS. 





I 






P 


A«E. 


Victor and the Senecas, 


11 


- 






r> 


The Town of Victor, Formation 


III 


- 


- 


- 


10 


Church Organization, Victor, 


IV 


- 




• 


14 


Organization of the Presbyterian church 


at Victor, 


- 




18 


Church Erection, 


V 

VI 


- 




- 


22 


Presbyterial Connections, 


VII 


- 




- 


26 


General Outline of church Records includ 


mg sketches of 


the 


sev- 




eral Pastors, - 


' - 


- 




- 


30 



APPENDIX. 



A 

Documents connected with the early history of the church, - 67 

B 
Roll of Pastors, and Rolls of Deacons, Elders, Trustees, and 

the present officers, ------ 79 

C 
Roll of Members from the organization of the church in 1799 - 88 

I) 
Sabbath School roll, 1888, ------ 10."» 

E 
Civil and church law, - - - - - - - 110 

F 
Ecclesiastical Councils and Pulpit supplies - . - 121 



ROCHESTER. N. Y. 

J. A. Gillies, Print, 73 East Main Street, 
1888. 



X. 
VICTOR AND THE SENECAS. 



DeNonville's Encounter with the Red Men, 
Two Hundred Years Ago. 

VICTOR was originally in the possession of the Seneca 
Indians, a branch of the war-like Iroquois. The prin- 
cipal village was on what is now called Boughton Hill, and 
largely on the farms owned by Robert Bruce Moore and 
Baldwin Green. DeNonville, the French General, calls this 
village Ga-os-saeh-gwa. It was "the famous Babylon of the 
Tsonnon-tousans, (Senecas) * * * situated at the top of 
a mountain of earth, to which one rises by three terraces 
or hills." 

It is claimed that Father Chaumonot, a Jesuit Father, 
from a missionary station at St. Marie, on the river Severn, 
near lake Huron, was the first white man who visited this 
village of the Senecas, and that his visit occured in the 
fall of 1656 It is known that as early as 1640, he and 
Father Brebeauf were at Niagara beginning such missionary 
work. It is also claimed that in November of 1668 the 
Senecas sent to Montreal, requesting the Jesuits there 
to send them missionaries, and that in compliance with this 
request, Father Gamier established a mission on Boughton 
Hill, called St. James. There is also evidence that LaSalle, 



that distinguished and indomitable young French adven- 
turer and founder of Frontenac (now Kingston), visited this 
village of the Senecas as early as August or September of 
[i 169. 

At Victor is also located the battle ground of DeNon- 
ville with the Senecas. (For the authentic account of 
the battle see Turner's " DeNonviile's invasion of the 
Genesee Country, page 465, Phelps Purchase.") Landing 
his forces at Irondequoit Bay, July 10th, 1687, he followed 
the old Indian trail, leading from that point to the foot of 
Canandaigua Lake, until he came to the hill back of Victor, 
the plateau now owned by the Dryers, and where the old 
church stood. There are those who claim that the ambus- 
cade was further west than this, nearer where the pres- 
ent Pittsford road enters the village. But this does not 
satisfy the conditions of the authentic accounts. The Pitts- 
ford road at that point is made from the side hill, and the 
gully originally there, was hardly more than a ditch, and 
not on the Canandaigua Lake trail, which went back of the 
Ladd house and across the Dryer farm. While the gully 
near Wm. C. Dryer's is wanting, in that there was no stream 
running through it. The Chief Brant pointed out this defect 
in the map. The trail DeNonville is described as follow- 
ing, after crossing the Dryer plateau, lead east back of the pres- 
ent stores, to the Smith Jones spring that now supplies most 
of the village with water, thence to the three forks, and 
from there towards Sidell's to the spring about a mile 
east of Boughton Hill, and on the foot of the Lake. 
Coming down on this trail from the north to the brook run- 
ning under Main street near Mr. Heath's drug store, a trail 
would naturally branch off from the main one to Boughton 
Hill. With this view agrees the account of the French 
Jesuit priest present at the battle. His name is L'Abbe de 
Belmont. In the course of his description he says, " the 
village is upon a high hill which is surrounded by three 
little hills or terraces at the foot of a valley, and opposite 



some other hills, between which passes a large brook, which 
in a little valley makes a little marsh covered with alders. 
This is the place which they selected for their ambuscade. 
They divided themselves, posted 300 men along the fall- 
ing brook between the two hills in a great thicket of beech 
trees." Standing on the Dryer plateau back of Mr. Truman 
Dryer's house, this is the very scene before you. Beyond, 
across the valley, is Boughton hill, answering to the high 
hill surrounded by three terraces. In the valley below is 
the brook running eastward through theCovill marsh lands, 
and beyond toward the south-east, on the Covill farm, what 
is left of the beech thicket described, and which then covered 
the ground about the brook running across Main Street. 
It should be remembered that at the tjme of the fight the 
slopes from above into the valley were steep and heavily 
wooded and that the swamp [below was a sort of jungle. 
The "height of the hill" occupied by DeNonville and to 
which the fleeing advance guard were driven, can be no 
other than the Dryer plateau. There raged the last of the 
conflict, until the beating of the drums and rallying of the 
French " frightened the 300 Tsonnontousans of the ambus- 
cade, who fled from above to the 500 that were ambushed 
below." Upon this plateau have been found relics of the 
battle. 

To this plateau, following the Indian trail, came the 
advanced guard of DeNonviile's army, and defiled into 
the little valley, and along the brook, back of the Corn- 
ford Foundry. When .they had passed by the beeches, 
and came upon the brook running through the valley they 
were startled and thrown into confusion by the " terrible 
whoop" and "volley" from the Senecas concealed in the 
thicket on the bank of the falling brook, down which 
the advance had passed. Part fled back at once, the others 
fired two volleys and then made a precipitate retreat, followed 
closely by the Senecas. Up over the present business part 
of the village the battle raged until the heights above were 



gained ; here DeNonville and the main body were met 
hastening to the scene of carnage. Here the Senecas made 
one last desperate assault. DeNonville ordered the drums 
to beat. The Senecas, startled by the sound, gave 
way and fled to the 500 below. Thus ended this mem- 
orable fight. Here the French priest continues his narra- 
tive as follows : "A council was held. It was resolved, as 
it was late, to sleep on the field of battle for camp." (On 
the Dryer plateau, the last scene of the engagement.) "On 
the morrow we marched in battle order, waiting for an 
attack. We descended the hill by a little sloping valley or 
gorge, through which ran a brook bordered wit lit hick bushes" 
(an exact description of that back of Cornford's Foundry) 
and which discharges itself at the foot of a hill, in a marsh 
full of deep mud," (that back of the Lewis place) "but 
planted with alders so thick that one could scarcely see. 
There it was that they had stationed their two ambuscades 
and where, -perhaps we would have been defeated, if they 
had not mistaken our advance guards for the whole army 
and been so hasty in firing. 

Encamped above, and in the morning drawn up in 
battle array, with his left resting on the edge of the little 
sloping valley. DeNonville would not have marched his 
army by right flank, across the ravines to the present Pittsford 
road, when by a left flank movement he could far better defile, 
as he did, down through the little sloping valley back of the 
Foundry. I have carefully examined the high ground north 
of the village, both eastward and westward, and the little 
sloping valley back of the Foundry is the only one that 
answers to the French Priest's description, or from the 
natural conformation of the ground, could have answered 
to it, before the present Pittsford road was made. A careful 
examination will show that the latter point cannot well be 
mistaken for the French Priest's little sloping valley back 
of the furnace. An historian speaks of the descent to the 
valley being "near the Pittsford road." It was near it but 
net at or through it. The vallev back of the furnace 



approaches it on the northwest, and formerly the Pittsford 
road entered the village near Gallup's store. DeNonville 
had with him about 800 Indians, four batallions of regulars 
and four of militia, while the Senecas had 300 in ambush 
west of the falling brook, running through the village, and 
500 in ambush over towards the railroad. 




IX 

THE TOWN OF VICTOR.— 
WHEN FORMED. 



The Presbyterian Church in Victor the Fifth 

Oldest Church Organization in 

Western New York. 

THAT part of New York State lying west of a meridian 
drawn through Seneca Lake, and formerly known as 
the Genesee Country, "(Pleasant Valley)" was, when settled 
a part of Massachusetts, and inhabited by the Seneca Indians, 
a branch of the " Five Nations," afterwards known as the 
"Six Nations" when joined by the Tuscororas from North 
Carolina. 

Soon after the war of the Revolution, and on October 
22, 1784, the United States concluded a treaty of perpetual 
peace and amity with the Six Nations. This opened the 
way to the settlement of Western New York. 

"The Genesee Country," west of Seneca Lake, and 
comprising about six million acres, was in 1787 contracted 
to Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham for $100,000. Mr. 
Phelps was a native of Connecticut, but both he and Mr. 
Gorham were at the time of the purchase residents of Mass- 
achusetts. This accounts for the New England complexion 
given to the early settlements of this part of the state, both 
religiously and otherwise. These two gentlemen bought 
of Massachusetts the pre-emptive right to this territory of 



1 1 



Western New York. — That is, the right or privilege of se- 
lection and purchase before all others. Having secured 
this right they proceeded at once to extinguish, by pur- 
chase from the Indians, their title to the same. This was 
accomplished as far as the Genesee River, July 8, 1788, when 
Messers. Phelps and Gorham bought and paid for more than 
two million acres of land, embracing the territory between 
Seneca Lake and the Genesee river on the east and west and 
the State of Pennsylvania and Lake Ontario on the south 
and north. The Legislature of Massachusetts confirmed to 
them this purchase on November 21, 1788. These owners 
then surveyed this tract, dividing it into "'ranges" by lines' 
running north and south and six miles apart. These 
"ranges" were numbered from east to west. (Victor lies in 
the fourth range.) 

These " ranges" were then sub-divided into townships 
by lines running east and west and six miles apart, making 
a township to consist of six miles square, and numbered from 
south to north. (Victor is the 11th township in the 4th 
range.) 

The townships were then divided into farms or lots of 
160 acres each, and in this form sold. 

Formerly, Ontario County was co-extensive with " the 
Genesee country," but was subsequently restricted to its 
present limits. The town of Victor was formerly a part of 
Bloomfield, and was setoff therefrom in 181 2, and organized 
April 6, 181 3, in the " Presbyterian Meeting-house" which 
at that time stood on the hill back of Mr. Gallup's store. 

Most of the early settlers came from New England ; 
from Massachusetts and Connecticut. 

In 1788 Peter Shaffer settled at Scottsville. At that 
time only four or five white families lived on the road be- 
tween Scottsville and Utica. 

Enos and Jared Boughton were the first settlers in the 
town of Victor, Jared Boughton, a native of Connecticut, 
was born in February [9, 1766. Subsequently the change 



12 

of a disputed State boundary line brought the place of his 
birth within New York State. 

In 1787 he married Olive Stone, of Stockbridge, Mass, 
and moved his residence there. Jared and Enos Boughton 
visited Victor as early as the spring of 1788, and having se- 
lected the 11th township in the 4th range as a desirable lo- 
cation, purchased it that fall, of Messrs. Phelps and Gorham, 
for twenty cents per acre. The purchase was made in 
behalf of their father Hezekiah and was intended for a 
family posession. 

In the Spring of 1789, Enos, Jared and Hezekiah, Jr. 
three brothers, together with their uncle Levi Boughton 
and Jacob Lobdell, returned to Victor, and during the sum- 
mer built a log cabin, and sowed some wheat and buckwheat. 
As they had brought some fourteen head of cattle with 
them, it was necessary to leave some one in charge. This 
duty devolved upon Jacob Lobdell, a young man abcut 
eighteen years old. Lobdell boarded during the winter 
with Elijah Rose, who lived three miles away in the town 
of Bloomfield. The others of the party returned East, 

February 19, 1790, Jared Boughton, and his wife, and 
a two-year-old son Selleck, and infant daughter Melania, six 
months old, accompanied by Jared's youngest brother Sey- 
mour Boughton, left Stockbridge for their new Western 
home, where they arrived March 7, 1790, after a journey 
fraught with unusual hardships and dangers. 

Subsequently, in October, 1790, Jared's father arrived 
with his family and the families of his married sons. 'Hez- 
ekiah Jr., died on his way from the East, but his family con- 
tinued their journey to the end Col. Claudius Victor 
Boughton. a son of Hezekiah Jr., gave to Victor its name. 
The town voted this as a reward for " gallant services upon 
the Niagara frontier" in the war of 1812, to "which the 
Legislature of New York added the presentation of a sword. " 
Among the sons of Jared Boughton were Selleck, an attor- 
ney in Rochester ; Frederick, of Pittsford ; (the first white 



13 

child born in Victor, born June I, 1791), Jared H., of Victor; 
Enos, of East Bloomfield ; Mrs. Dr. A. G. Smith, of New 
York : Mrs. Bennett Lewis, of Green County, Ohio, and 
Mrs. Mortimer Buel, of Geneseo. 

In July, 1790, an official census, taken by General Amos 
Hall, showed four families and twenty persons in the town 
of Victor. 

I have thus particularly mentioned the family of Jared 
Boughton, because they were in fact the first settlers of the 
town, and identified with all its interests and early growth. 
Jared Boughton was a member of the first board of trustees 
of the Presbyterian church at its incorporation September 
13, 1798. In fact all the early settlers, at all religiously 
inclined, were identified with this church organization. It 
was the only religious organization in the community for 
a number of years, and the fifth oldest church organization 
in Western New York. 

It is not the intention to go over ground so well 
written up in the past, as the above ; but merely to introduce 
the history of a church that began with and has grown up 
as a part of the settlement of the town of Victor and so 
largely determined its religious character. This church is 
one of the old land-marks in the history of Western New 
York, and its integrity, stability and history should be 
maintained as the heritage of Christian forefathers who gave 
to Victor its early existence, and established its leading 
religious influence. 



III. 

CHURCH ORGANIZATION — VICTOR. 



IT has been seen that the early settlers of Victor were 
largely from Massachusetts and Connecticut, or near 
their borders in Eastern New York State. 

The scattered character of these early settlements re- 
tarded somewhat the organization of religious societies, and 
when such were organized, determined them, largely, as 
Congregational or Presbyterian. 

The following from the history by Rev. James H. 
Hotchkin who was preaching in West Bloomneld as early as 
1801, is quoted in substantiation of the above statement, 
(see p. 27.) " For some years after the settlement of the 
country commenced, no minister of the gospel, of the 
Presbyterian or Congregational denominations resided 
within its boundaries, nor was any church of these denomi- 
nations organized. Whether any ministers or churches of 
other denominations were in existence on this field is not 
known to the writer." 

Undoubtedly if there were any such, Mr. Hotchkin, 
himself on the field as early as 1801, would have known it. 

In 1765 Rev. Samuel Kirkland, a Congregational min- 
ister, was at Victor, as a missionary among the Senecas. 

In 1795, Rev. Zadoc Hunn, of Berkshire County, Mass., 
located on a farm in Canandaigua, adjoining the present 
town of Bristol. He was the first resident minister, and 



15 

assisted in the organinization of the East Bloomfield Con- 
gregational church, November 5, 1796. After Mr. Hunn 
came Rev. John Rolph from Massachusetts and was in- 
stalled pastor of the South Bristol Congregational church, 
January, 1797, (organized December 1796.) This church has 
since become extinct. Of this occasion Mr. Hotchkin 
remarks, "the ministers who composed this council" 
(convened to install Mr. Rolph) " were Rev. Zadoc Hunn, 
Rev, Eliphalet Steel, of Paris, Oneida County, and Rev. Dr. 
Asahel S. Norton, of Clinton. Oneida County. "... 
"■ These were the nearest ministers to be obtained." . 
" This undoubtely, was the first ecclesiastical council ever 
convened in the State of New York, west of the east line 
of the Military Tract." 

The third minister to settle was the Rev. Reuben Par- 
mele, who organized the Victor church September 13, 1798, 
and was installed its pastor February 14, 1799. Previous 
to this there had been some missionary work dojie at points 
in this field by the missionaries of the Congregational and 
Presbyterian denominations. 

In 1793 Rev. IraCondict "amissionary underthe appoint- 
ment of the General Assembly " had organized a Congre- 
gational church at Palmyra, but this church had no settled 
pastor until after 1800. 

In 1795, Rev. Daniel Thatcher, a missionary of the 
General Assembly of the Presbyterian church, organized a 
church at Elmira which became extinct about 18 10. Also 
a Presbyterian church at Charlestown, now Lima; and 
another in Geneseo. (" This is the church which now has 
its location at the little village of Lakeville, at the foot of 
Conesuslake.") 

Soon after 1790, under the direction of Rev. John 
Smith, of Dighton, Mass., a number of settlers, members in 
eastern Churches, are said to have assembled at Canandai- 
gua, and there as a church, protempore, to have partaken 
of the Lord's Supper. There is no official record of the 



i6 

occurrence, extant. The Congregational church there was 
organized February, 1799. St. Mathew's church, of Can- 
andaigua (Episcopal) was organized February 4, 1799, but 
became extinct. 

It is thus evident that the Victor Presbyterian church 
is one of the first and oldest church organizations in that 
part of Western New York, known as "the Genesee Country" 
and lying west of Seneca Lake. The following table will 
show its position in the order of organization : 

Palmyra church 1793 

Lima church 1795 

Geneseo church (Lakeville) — 1 795 

East Bloomfield November 5 1 796 

Victor church, September 13 1798 

The Victor church, organized September 13, 1798, was 
the church of the early settlers in Victor. Their religious 
predilections were Congregational and Presbyterian, evinced 
in the character of the church they established. To this 
church they gave their adherence and support, and it was 
not until after 1800 that other religious affiliations appeared. 
The Methodists were the first to follow the Presbyterians, 
and as early as 1805 Rev. Joseph Jewell, a presiding Elder 
of the Ontario circuit, (an indefinite territory) was accus- 
tomed to visit Victor, but an organization was not effected 
until 1807, when a class of seven persons was formed. Re- 
ligious services were held for several years in the School 
houses in the town, and sometimes in the " Presbyterian 
meeting-house" on the hill. It was not until 1820 that the 
Methodists began to build a church. I quote the following 
from an extract of their church history, found in that of 
Ontario County by Prof. Mcintosh : " A determination was 
expressed by Mr. Loughborough at the quarterly meeting 
held January 22, 1820, in the Presbyterian Meeting house 
in Victor, to build a house for worship." This church was 
dedicated August 19, 1821. 

In 1834 a Universalist Society was formed and. its 
church completed its organization December 21, 1844. 



17 

St. Patrick's Catholic church was built about 1852, and 
is now a flourishing organization. 

The Episcopalians began to establish themselves in 1871, 
and commenced in 1872 to build their present church, which 
was formally opened for service February 6, 1873. Such is 
the outline of church organization in Victor. 




ORGANIZATION OF THE PRESBY- 
TERIAN CHURCH AT VICTOR. 



i^A R. Jabez Moorehouse, one of the early settlers and 
7 \ one of the original nine members received at the 
constitution of the church, was the first to establish stated 
public worship in Victor. Subsequently Rev. Nathaniel 
Steele, of East Bloomfield church devoted a part of his time 
to this field, but after a brief ministry death terminated his 
labors. A few from Victor joined the East Bloomfield 
church as fruits of his labor. Then came Rev. Reuben 
Parmele. in 1798, and organized the church. 

This organization was incorporated as a Congregational 
Church September, 13, 1798. 

The following is a copy of the Act of Incorporation, as 

recorded in the County Clerk's office at Canandaigua : 

Bloomfield, Sept. 13, 1798. 
This may certify that at a legal meeting of the North Congrega- 
tional Society in Bloomfield, convened agreeably to an act entitled, an 
act to enable all religious denominations in this State to appoint 
Trustees who shall be a body corporate for the purpose of taking care 
of the temporalities of their respective congregations and for other 
purposes therein mentioned. Jared Boughton, Joseph Brace, Jr., and 
Thomas Hawley, were chosen as Trustees for, and as considered under 
the style of, Trustees for the North Congregational Society in Bloom- 
field, hi the County of Ontario and State of New York. Given under 
our hands and seals at the place above mentioned this thirteenth day 
Of September. A. I)., 1798. 

Joseph Brace, Joshua Ketchum, [l. s.] 

Jacob Lobdell, Seymour Boughton, [l. s.] 

Returning Officers. 



19 

Ontario Co.— ss.: Be it remembered, that on the 15th day of 
September, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-eight, 
personally came before me, Moses Atwater, one of the Judges in and 
for said County, Joseph Brace, who, being duly sworn, declared he saw 
Joshua Ketchum and Seymour Boughton sign, seal and deliver the 
within instrument for the uses and purposes therein expressed. I do 
permit the same to be recorded as such. 

MOSES ATWATER. 

I certify the foregoing to be a true copy of the original certificate 
•examined and compared with the same and recorded the loth of 
September, 1798. PETER B. PORTER, Clerk. 

State of New York— Ontario County Clerk's Office, Canandaigua, 
N. Y.— I, William G. Dove, Clerk of the County of Ontario, of the 
County Court of said County, and of the Supreme Court, both being 
courts of Record, having a common seal, do hereby certify that I 
have compared the annexed copy of a certificate of incorporation 
with the original, recorded in this office in Liber A, page 55, and that 
the same is a correct transcript therefrom and of the whole of said 
original. 

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and affixed the 
seal of said county and courts, this 14th day of February, 1882. 

W. G. DOVE, Clerk, 

The work of incorporation was under the immediate 
supervision of Mr. Parmele. Having completed the organ- 
ization and recorded the act of incorporation, he accepted 
the invitation to become its pastor; returned east for his 
family; and arrived with them early in 1799. The consti- 
tution of the spiritual part of the church was deferred until 
his return from the east, probably in order that he might 
secure the letters of the persons who were to form the nucleus 
of this part of the organization. The manner of constituting 
the spiritual church, as then in vogue, and which was probably 
followed by Mr. Parmele, was for those proposing to associate 
themselves together as a church of Christ, on a day appointed 
to assemble, being moderated by a minister. 

Each gave proof of his Christian hope and character, 
those having their letters producing them as evidence of 
their good standing. If satisfied with one another's qualifi- 
cations, and the minister's endorsement of the same, they 
then standing, gave their assent to a summary of Christian 
doctrine, after which a form of covenant was read by the 
minister, and to which they all gave their assent, whereupon 



20 



they were announced a church of Christ. A record of such 
proceedings was generally made. (See History by Rev. J. 
H. Hotchkin.) 

Rev. Reuben Parmele having returned with his family, 
assembled nine persons, as above, five of whom were males 
and four females. They were Jabez Moorehouse and wife, 
Elisha Perkins, Mehitable Perkins (his wife), Abijah 
Williams, Mrs. Hawley, Jemima Brace, Samuel Boughton 
Dr. Reuben Hart. 

These persons adopted and subscribed to certain articles 
of faith and a covenant, which defined the doctrinal standing 
and religious character of the church, and the relations to it 
of all its members. 

The doctrinal points involved are those held by the 
Orthodox Congregational and Presbyterian churches. 

On February 13, 1779, an ecclesiastical council was 
convened to install Mr. Parmele. It consisted of Rev. 
Zadoc Hunn ; Rev. Seth Williston, who was on the field 
engaged in bringing about what is known as the " Great 
Revival " of 1799, and which swept Ontario County with its 
religious influence; also Rev. Mr. Rolph, of South "Bristol, 
and delegates Ehud Hopkins from East Bloomfield Congre- 
gational Church, and Aaron Rice from South Bristol 
Church. (Rev. Mr. Hotchkin also mentions Rev. Jedediah 
Bushnell, but the records do not show this). 

The council examined and approved the call of the 
church for Mr. Parmele's services, and the articles of faith 
and form of covenant previously adopted. 

It then proceeded to the installation, which took place 
the following day, February 14th. 

Rev. Zadoc Hunn made the opening prayer and gave 
the charge; Rev. John Rolph preached the sermon ; Rev. 
Seth Williston (afterward Dr. Williston, of Durham, Green 
County, N. Y.) gave the right hand of fellowship and made 
the concluding prayer. 

Mr. Parmele, when he eame to Victor, "was a man in 
middle life." He had previously been settled in Hinesburgh,. 



21 

Vermont, but at the time of his removal to Victor, was 
from Connecticut, and a Congregational minister. He 
graduated from Yale College in 178 1. So far as the writer 
can ascertain, Mr. Parmele's was the second installation in 
this region. 

The Lord's supper was administered for the first time 
by this church, on April 7, 1799, on which occasion Mr. Asa 
Hickox, Jr., (Heacock) and Polly Hickox (probably his 
wife) were received into the communion of the church. 
Mr. Joseph Brace, previously admitted, was the first to join 
the church after its organization. 

The early meetings of the church were held in the 
houses of the leading members, and in barns when the 
houses were too small to accommodate the audience, and 
it is probable that when the weather permitted services 
were held in the open air, and under the protection of the 
woods near by. It was not until after 1800 that the society 
began to build a church. 



"V. 

CHURCH ERECTION, 



EARLY in 1800, the church known as the ''North 
Congregational Society in Bloomfield" began to agitate 
thequestionof buildingahouseof worship. As early as 1804, 
a subscription paper was circulated in the society and 
undoubtedly there were those who, although not members 
of the society, were willing to contribute toward this the 
first church in this part of the town. West Bloomfield had 
already begun to build, having erected a frame about 1800. 
Both of these buildings were erected by the Congregational 
societies to which they respectively belonged. There was 
not even the shadow of another church organization in the 
town to assist in such building, or to lay claim to any 
interest in it after built. 

The subscription paper of 1804 was of the nature of an 
assessment or tax roll. Each "pater-familias" in the 
society, or in case of his decease, the representative of the 
family, was taxed, according to his wealth and age, his 
proportion of the whole amount to be raised, and by his 
connection with the society he felt that he stood committed 
to pay his proportion, whatever it might be. His relation 
to the society being of his own volition, there was no 
compulsion from which he could not withdraw. An 
illustration of this system of assessment and tax is furnished 



23 

in the assessment or tax roll found in Appendix (A.) This 
tax was levied to make a final payment on this very church 
building. 

All the current expenses were met by such a tax ; and 
all expenses of building or otherwise. This is the same 
custom that prevailed in the East Bloomfield Church, to 
which this church was closely related. (See Dr. Kendall's 

sermon, 1851.) 

The building was erected in 1805-6, on the hill back of 
the Gallup store, and was known as the u Meeting House in 
the North Congregational Society in Bloomfield," subse- 
quently as the " Presbyterian Meeting-House." The pews 
were owned by members of the society, and when pew- 
holders moved out of town they often sold their pews to 
other parties who wished to become members of the society. 
It is asserted that the neglect on the part of the Trustees to 
properly guard such sales, and some disaffection on the part 
of a few in the church about the year 1830, led to conflicting 
claims as to the rights in the use of the church, and that 
under the impulse of such contentions, the old church being 
dilapidated, and the Congregationalists abundantly able to 
build, a new church was erected and dedicated in 1833. 
After the Congregationalists had moved into their new 
church, the Universalists formed a society and occupied the 
old house on the hill. Thomas Hawley gave the land upon 
which the first church stood. There is no record, extant, 
to show that he executed a deed at the time of the gift; but 
as late as 1818, a deed was drawn conveying said land to the 
proprietors or pew-holders in the society. This deed was 
recorded in 1825, but not until other names, apparently 
more recent purchasers of pews, lately moved in, had been 
added after the execution of the deed. Abijah Williams was 
the bcss carpenter and was a member of the church from 
its organization and a deacon in the church from July 10, 
1812, until his death, March — , 1840. In 1831, Nathan 
Jenks deeded to the Congregational society the land on 
which its present church stands This church was dedicated 



2 4 

Thursday, January 24, 1833, at 11 o'clock in the morning. 
There were present at the service, Rev. Daniel Johnson 
and Rev, Reuben Parmele, of Victor ; Rev. Silas C. Brown, 
of West Bloomfield ; Rev. Asa Johnson, of Richmond ; 
Rev. Gilbert Morgan, of Rochester , Delegates — Jonathan 

Smith, East Bloomfield ; Gardner, West Bloomfield ; 

Jas.Templeton, of East Mendon ; James Wells, of Richmond; 
also, Rev. Richard Kay, who was installed by the above 
named council at 2 o'clock in the afternoon of the same day. 

The new church was 40x50 feet, with a gallery and 
spire, and far in advance of anything in the town for its 
day, and cost about $3,500. It was altered and repaired in 
1^44. "In i860 an addition was made to the rear; a new 
spire was built ; a bell, weighing 1,700 pounds and costing 
$500, was hung in the new spire. Mr. Samuel W. Osborne 
was appointed a committee with power to select and 
purchase the bell. He finally found one to suit him at 
Troy. Mr. Osborne is a man of good judgment; a fine 
musical ear; and orthodox, as well. It was well for the 
church that he was chosen ; he meant that there should be 
no heterodox twang to this bell ; and its ring to-day is the 
clear, strong tone, with its silver sweetness, symbol of that 
pure doctrine and divine truth which have proverbially 
emanated from its pulpit. There is no uncertain sound to 
this bell. In i860 the town clock was placed in the 
Presbyterian church. 

In 1868 the society built a parsonage costing about 
$5,000, and in 1870 made additional improvements in the 
church, including a place for the organ, at a cost of several 
thousand dollars. Col. Melancthon Lewis gave the organ, 
which cost about $2,000. 

In 1884 the interior of the church was greatly improved, 
the woodwork grained black-walnut; the seats recushioned 
and the floors newly carpeted 

In 1887 the parlors in the church basement were 
separated by glass partitions, the ceilings and wall calcimined, 
the large room relighted, and the furniture largely replaced 



25 

with chairs. There were also some important improvements 
made in the parsonage, and the fence was removed from the 
front and west sides and the grounds about the church 
graveled and graded and drained. It is at present a fine 
church property, with a very pleasant audience room, and 
a highly intelligent congregation, with enough of wealth, 
certainly, to prevent all friction from financial embarrassment. 
In 1887 Mrs. Carrie E. Sale, a widow, and an earnest 
Christian woman, devoted to her church, died, and out of 
her small patrimony, left the church a fund of $1,000. 

As an organization, this church was connected with 
the "Ontario Association" until that body was merged into 
the Presbytery of Geneva. This leads to a consideration 
of Presbyterial connection. 



*^^V 



VI. 

PRESBYTERIAL CONNECTION, 



T the commencement of the year 1799, Rev. Zadock 
Hunn, at North Bristol; Rev. John Rolph, at South 
Bristol: and Rev. Reuben Parmele, just arrived at Victor 
were the ministers resident in the Genesee country. Subse 
quently came Rev. Timothy Field, who was ordained and 
installed at Canandaigua February, 1800. Rev. Joseph 
Grover arrived during 1799, as a missionary from a society 
in New Jersey, and June 11, 1800, was installed at North 
Bristol. 

These five resident ministers met at Bristol, March 
18, 1800, and formed themselves into an association known 
as "The Association of Ontario," the first of the kind 
in New York State. This association was modelled 
after the Morris County Associated Presbytery of New 
Jersey. Each church was invited to send a delegate, who 
should have an equal standing with the ministers. They 
held semi-annual meetings, and at each such stated meeting 
elected a moderator and clerk. At its second meeting,. 
Rev. Eleazer Fairbanks joined the association. In 1803, 
Rev. James H. Hotchkin, of West Bloomfield and Rev. 
Abijah Warren, the successor of Mr. Rolph at South Bristol,, 
united with the association. In 1^04 the following churches- 
were connected with the association: Lima, East Bloomfield,. 
West Bloomfield, Victor, Canandaigua, North Bristol, South 
Bristol, Naples, Richmond, Rushville. 



27 

The Presbytery of Geneva was formed from theOneida 
Presbytery by the General Assembly of 1805, and included 
all that part of New York State lying west of Oneida and 
Chenango counties. The ministers who composed it were 
Rev. Jedediah Chapman, of Geneva, Rev. John Lindsley, of 
Covert, Rev. Samuel Leacock, of Hopewell, and Rev. Jabez. 
Chadwick, of Genoa. The churches connected with the 
Presbytery, at the time of its organization, were Covert, 
Geneva, Lakeville, Trumansburgh, Ithaca, Ovid, Seneca 
Falls and Hopewell. The first meeting of this Presbytery 
was held at Geneva, September 17, 1805. At this meeting 
it was decided that "Presbytery can consistently receive as- 
a constituent member of their body a minister belonging to 
an association, without his discontinuing his connection 
with the association. " In conformity with this decision Rev. 
David Higgins and Rev. Hezekiah North Woodruff, members 
of the "Middle Association," were received as members of 
the Presbytery. These records of Presbytery, upon review by 
Synod, being approved, the principle involved was regarded 
as established, and cemented the fellowship already existing 
between Presbyterians and Congregationalists, and ultimately 
resulted in the abolishing of the associations, and their 
absorption by the Presbyteries, thus giving to Western New 
York a strong Presbyterian complexion. It was recognized 
by both denominations that they occupied essentially the 
same doctrinal ground. Believing a more permanent union 
would subserve the cause of Christ, the Middle Association, 
on October 7, 1807, appointed a commissioner to attend 
the meeting of the Synod of Albany, then in session, and 
propose a union with that body of the " Middle Association." 
Such union was subsequently effected and sanctioned by 
the General Assembly May, 1808. Thus the Middle 
Association became merged in the Synod of Albany. 

In October, 18 10, the Presbytery of Geneva was 
divided, all the ministers and churches west of Cayuga Lake 
remaining in the Presbytery of Geneva; while the rest of 
the territory formerly occupied by the Geneva Presbytery 



28 

was divided into two Presbyteries, known respectively as 
the Presbytery of Cayuga, and the Presbytery of Onondaga. 
The General Assembly, in May, 1811, constituted these 
three Presbyteries into the Synod of Geneva, which first 
met at Geneva, October, 1 8 1 1. In this new Synod prevailed 
the same principle and practice concerning Congregational 
associations and churches that had been established by the 
Albany Synod; in fact the Congregational churches were 
Presbyterian in all respects, with the exception "that their 
sessions were composed of all the male members of the 
church of suitable age, instead of a bench of eiders chosen for 
the purpose of Government" and representing the people. 

May 5, 1813, the "Ontario Association," the oldest of 
the kind in the State, dissolved itself, and became merged 
in the Presbytery of Geneva, declaring that "in the view 
of this association there is no reason why those denomi- 
nations of professingChristians, usually called Presbyterians 
and Congregationalists, should not receive each other as 
brethern, and be united as one body in the strictest sense."' 
It was therefore resolved to dissolve the association, that 
its ministers and churches might unite with the Geneva 
Presbytery. Mr. Reuben Parmele became a member of 
this Presbytery. There is, however, nothing to show that 
the Victor church became officialy connected with the 
Geneva Presbytery as thus constituted. It evidently did not. 

February 19, 1817, the Synod, in Session at Geneva 
divided the Geneva Presbytery into four Presbyteries. 
Ontario Presbytery was formed at this time, it embraced 
the ministers and churches between the eastern boundary 
line of the "Holland Purchase" and the dividing line 
between the third and forth ranges of townships in the 
Phelps and Gorham Purchase in the County of Ontario. 
(From the dividing line between Farmington and Victor, 
to near the eastern boundary of Genesee County.) From 
this Presbytery was set off in 1819 the Presbytery of 
Rochester, which also drew from the Niagara Presbytery. 
At this time Ontario Presbytery, greatly reduced, consisted 



2 9 

of 12 ministers, 9 churches, and one licentiate. While the 
Synod of Geneva to which it belonged, contained 93 
ministers, 145 churches and 8 licentiates; showing the 
marvelous growth in population, churches and ministers, 
and the deplorable deficiency of ministers to occupy this 
growing field. 

The General Assembly of 1821, set off from the Synod 
of Geneva, the Synod of Genesee, embracing the Presbyteries 
of Niagara, Genesee, Rochester, and Ontario; which held 
its first meeting at Rochester, September 18, 1821, and was 
opened with a sermon by Rev. Ebenezer Fitch, D. D. At 
the time, the Synod numbered 39 ministers, 4 licentiates 
and 71 churches. 

February 8, 1827, the Victor Church voted to adopt 
t^he Presbyterian form of Goverment. March 21st Elders 
were duly elected, aud on the 25th of the same month 
ordained. January 16, 1828, at its meeting in Geneseo, the 
Presbytery of Ontario received the Victor church as a 
member of its body. Against this course of the majority of 
the Victor church the minority protested. 

September 20, 1832, a compromise was effected between 
the two factions by which it was agreed that it should be an 
independent congregational church, not under the jurisdiction 
of Presbytery, but submitting its records to that body 
. annually as a court of review and arbitration, and that in 
cases ot appeal by an aggrieved party to Presbytery, the 
adjudication of the case by that body should be final. 

March 8, 1858. the church again adopted the Presbyter- 
ian form of goverment and became entitled the " First 
Presbyterian church of Victor," and united with the Rochester 
Presbytery at its meeting in Rochester, April 6th and 7th 
•of the same year. 

In 1 87 1 the Victor church was transferred to the 
Presbytery of Geneva, but in 1874 applied to be restored to 
the Rochester Presbytery, and was so restored. It has since 
retained this connection. 



GENERAL OUTLINE OF CHURCH 
RECORDS. 

Including Sketches of the Several Pastors, 
as far as could be obtained. 



IT has been stated that on April 7, 1799 the Lord's Supper 
was celebrated for the first time after the organization 
of the church. May 24th of the same year it was deter- 
mined to celebrate the Lord's Supper regularly, once in two 
months, and on the first Sabbath in the month, which custom 
is still in vogue. 

At the installation of Rev. Reuben Parmele, certain 
articles of Faith and a covenant, were drawn up and adopted 
by the church. These articles were Calvanistic, and simi- 
lar to those held by the Congregational churches generally. 
The essential doctrines of the church have never changed, 
but now in place of any set of articles peculiar to the in- 
dividual church, this church stands doctrinally upon the 
standards of the Presbyterian church, together with a cor- 
responding confession and covenant, adopted October 3, 

1884. 

In its early history, its discipline was governed by 

variable rules peculiar to this individual church. Now its 

discipline is according to the Book of Discipline of the 

Presbyterian church. 

Isaac Root, the first deacon in the church, was elected 

May 31 1804, and ceased to act, March 14, 18 16. 



3i 

January 2, 1806 the pastoral relation between Mr. 
Parmele and the church was dissolved, but he appears to 
have supplied the pulpit until 1812, when his successor was 
chosen. During this time the lead in meetings for public 
worship, devolved upon a committee consisting of Samuel 
Boughton, Joseph Rowley, Abijah Williams, and Ira Sey- 
mour. The Council convened to dissolve the pastoral 
relation consisted of ministers — Joseph Grover, Aaron C. 
Collins, and James W. Hotchkin. and delegates, Deacon 
Goodwin, and Messrs. Eben Norton, and Daniel Canfield. 
The cause assigned for the dissolution was, a mutual 
agreement between pastor and people. 

The Council endorsed Mr. Parmele as a minister of the 
Gospel of good moral and Christian character, and deserving 
the support of the churches. 

Mr. Parmele was elected moderator and clerk of the 
church, and continued to live in Victor until about 1836. 
when he went to live with one of his children in the West, 
He died at the home of his son, Rev. Abiel Parmele, at 
Almond, Allegany County, N. Y., about 84 years old. He 
was one of the five ministers and seven ruling elders, -who 
on the second Tuesday in March 18 17, met at Livonia and 
constituted the Presbytery of Ontario, (see Chapter IV ) and 
also in 1800 "The Association of Ontario," ( see Chapter VI.) 

April 6, 18 1 2, the church called Rev. Philander Parmele. 
A council was convened for his ordination and installation, 
on May 5, 1812, 

There were present at the Council, Ministers Reuben 
Parmele, Aaron C. Collins, Oliver Ayei, Abiel Jones, Ezekiel 
T. Chapman, Silas Hubbard, and John Bliss; and delegates 
Noah Ashley, Josiah Owen, Samuel Blakesley, and Samuel 
Stone. The following day, May 6th, at 10 a. m. the people 
assembled in the "meeting house," "and in the presence of 
the church and congregation, and a respectable Assembly, 
solemnly consecrated Mr. Parmele to the Sacred office of a 
minister of Christ in Bloomfield." 



32 

Rev. Oliver Ayer, offered the introductory prayer. 
Rev. Ezekiel T. Chapman, preached the Sermon from Acts 

Rev. Aaron C. Collins, offered the ordaining prayer. 

Rev. Reuben Parmele, gave the charge. 

Rev. John F. Bliss, the right hand of fellowship. 

Rev. Silas Hubbard, offered the concluding prayer. 

I have been able to obtain only the following concerning 
the life of this the second pastor of the Victor church. 

"Philander Parmele son of Josiah Parmele, born in 
North Killingworth Conn. 1783, graduated at Yale 1809, 
ordained pastor of church in Victor N. Y. May 5, 1812, dis- 
missed December 28, 18 14. Installed pastor of church at 
Bolton, Conn. Nov. 8, i8i5,died December27, 1822, age 39. 
He was a laborious, earnest and faithful minister." — Spragues 
Annals, Am. Pulpit p. 546. 

Action taken by the church July 10, 1812, evinces that 
it was difficult to induce christians residing in the town 
whose membership was in Eastern churches, to take their 
letters to this church. The action taken indicates the 
importance of the situation, one year's grace was given, 
after which they must unite with the Victor church, if they 
would enjoy the privileges of its communion table. The 
justification for this was undoubtedly, in the evident want 
of proper christian integrit} r on the part of such persons: 
who, while residing permanently in the town, refused to 
put themselves in full connection with the church, and by so 
doing, felt free from its proper restraints. 

Again April 15 1813' we see the church struggling with 
corrupting influences in the church and community, 
requiring members of the church to restrain their children 
from gambling, dancing or balls. The former a vice at any 
time and it is not difficult to see how promiscuous dancing and 
balls, like card playing, may be ruinous to the Christian 
character and morals of a community. It is the abuse and 
corrupting tendency and influence, of things considered 
in themselves harmless, that needs most careful guarding. 



Another felt need expressed itself at this time, in the 
demand that members instruct their children in the 
Catechism, and cause them to attend upon the ministrations 
of the Lord's House and other moral instruction. The 
importance of, such is self-evident. Often parents have 
only themselves to blame, that their children are ignorant 
of sound doctrine, and are Sabbath-breakers, and direlect in 
the religious and respectable habit of church attendance. 
A truly Christian parentage is a great blessing, while a 
practically irreligious parentage, is a curse to any childhood 
and the terribleness of the curse only eternity will reveal. 

December 28, 1814, an ecclesiastical council, consisting 
of ministers — Aaron C. Collins, Ezekiel T. Chapman and 
Dennis O. Griswold, dissolved the pastoral relation subsisting 
between the church and Rev. Philander Parmele. The 
council commended Mr. Parmele's pastorate and endorsed 
him as a minister of the gospel. 

During the five years intervening until the next pastor- 
ate, Rev. Reuben Parmele appears to have acted as 
moderator, and to have been in charge of the pulpit. It was 
during this period and in the year 1816, that the church felt 
the influence of the revival in this section of the State, and 
was strengthened by it, $6 uniting with the church. The 
church had already been through one such season, under 
Mr. Parmele's ministry during the great revival of 1799, 
which swept over the churches in this region. Also in 1830 
and 1 83 1, under Rev. Daniel Johnson, there was a measure 
of revival, 49 members being added to the church during 
these two years. Under Rev. Richard Kay, in 1833 and 
1834, 54 members were added to the church, showing a 
marked spiritual interest. In the beginning of 1837, under 
the ministry of Rev. Jairus Wilcox, there was an interesting 
revival and 39 members were added to the church. Under 
the ministry of Rev. Charles E. Furman, in 1839, 4^ were 
added to the church, and again under the same ministry, in 
1843 a gracious outpouring of God's Spirit resulted in 65 
uniting with the church ; 151 uniting during the eight years 



34 

•of his ministry here. In 1853, under Rev. Calvin Waterbury, 
there was a season of considerable interest, and 26 united 
with the church. Again, during the ministry of Rev. Dr. 
Nichols, in 1868 there was a precious season of revival and 
57 united with the church. During 1885 — 1887 the church 
was revived, and its membership increased by 134. It is 
thus seen that God's Spirit has been with this church, and 
blessed it with special seasons of spiritual refreshing during 
the almost century of its existence. 

December 1816, the church voted to join the Congre- 
gational Association to be formed in this region. Viz. the 
Genesee Consociation, organized about 18 17. 

October i9,i8io,,the church called Rev.Ebenezer Raymond. 
A council was called to ordain and install him. It assembled 
November 9, 1819, and consisted of Rev. John Taylor and 
Deacon Ezra Sheldon, of Mendon ; Rev. Ezekiel Chapman, 
(moderator), and delegate Nathaniel Fisher, of Bristol ; 
Rev. Chauncey Cook and Deacon Samuel Stone, of Pitts- 
ford ; Rev. Julius Steele, (scribe), and Deacon William Hall, 
of Bloomfield, and Rev. Reuben Parmele, of Victor. Rev. 
Solomon Allen, being present, was invited to sit as corres- 
ponding member. Mr. Raymond was ordained and 
installed on the following day, November 10, at 10:30, A. M., 
in the church on the hill. 

Rev. Reuben Parmele offered the introductory prayer. 

Rev. John Taylor preached the sermon and delivered 
the charge to the people. 

Rev. Ezekiel T. Chapman offered the ordaining prayer. 

Rev. Chauncey Cook gave the charge to the candidate. 

Rev. Julius Steele gave the right hand of fellowship 
and offered the concluding prayer. 

Mr. Raymond graduated from Union College when 26 
years old, in the class of 181 5, and was licensed by the 
Union Association in 1816. At the time he entered college 
he was a resident of Sherbourne, Chenango County, N. Y. 
These are the only facts I have been able to find concerning 



35 

his life. After leaving Victor he went to Bristol, where he 
remained from 1825 to 1830. 

Early in Mr. Raymond's pastorate the Church revised 
and elaborated its rules of discipline. The first mention on 
the records of a contribution to foreign missions, is a collec- 
tion of five dollars in 1821, which was sent through a Mr. 
Beele, of Canandaigua, to the Foreign Missionary Society 
of New York. 

March 25, 1825, Mr. Raymond requested a dissolution 
of the pastoral relation. 

A council convened April 6, 1825, for the consideration 
of a case of discipline, declined to dissolve the pastoral 
relation, upon the ground that it was not mentioned in the 
call. The records contain no evidence that Mr. Raymond 
was formally released, but before the next church meeting 
May 26, he was gone, and Rev. Reuben Parmele was 
moderator. 

Rev. Jabez Spicer, appears to have served the church as 
stated supply, from January 1, 1826 to Janury 30, 1827. 
There is no record of a call, or a pastoral relation being 
established, nor any trace of him after leaving Victor. 

February 8, 1827, we again find Rev. Reuben Parmele, 
the founder and life-long friend of this church, in charge 
He was moderator of the church meeting held on this date, 
at which the church voted to change its form of govern- 
ment to Presbyterian. The minority then withdrew 
and constituted themselves a Congregational church, and it 
was not until five years afterward that the breach was healed. 

May 16, 1827, a meeting of the Genesee Consociation 
was held at Victor to consider the difficulties arising out 
of this split in the church, and also an important case of 
discipline. There were present, Rev. C. Thorp, moderator^ 
Rev. John Taylor, Rev. William P. Kendrick, Rev. Ebenezer 
Raymond, and delegates Deacons James Saxton, from 
Mendon, and Isaac Seeley, from Henrietta, Lyman T. 
Lidder, from Elba and Amasa Walker, from Byron. 



36 

The following ministers being present, were invited to 
sit as corresponding members : Rev's. Morris, Parmele, 
Steele, Hollenbeck, and Mr. James Gaboon, a licentiate. 

The association protested against the action of the 
majority in the face of so determined a minority. At the 
same time conceding there was no violation of covenant 
in a Congregational church adopting a Presbyterian form 
of government. The association also exonerated the 
majority from any intention of undue haste or wrong, but 
the association did not then effect a settlement of the 
difficulties. At a meeting in the church on the hill, July 
14, 1827, which was moderated by Rev. John Taylor, the 
motion was made to "meet in this place, the Congregational 
Meeting-house two weeks from to-day, at two o'clock, P. 
M. to see if the two churches can agree to come together." 
This brings the record of the Congregational branch to the 
time of reunion — It will be proper before considering 
the Reunion to insert here the action of the Presbyterian 
branch between the years 1827 and 1832. 

These records begin with a brief historical sketch 
setting forth that in 1827 a large majority of the Congrega- 
tional church voted to change its form of government from 
Congregational to Presbyterian. The reasons given, are 
the mature conviction that peace in the church could not 
be properly maintained under a Congregational government, 
which was neither efficient nor apostolic ; while the Presby- 
terian government was apostolic and more conducive to 
peace and spirituality. 

Then follow the records of the meeting at which the 
change was effected, and which Mr. Parmele moderated. 

Subsequently, on March 21, 1827, the following officers 
were elected: 

Elders William Parmele, and Alvah Dickinson, Deacons, 
Abijah Williams and William Parmele. These officers 
were duly ordained and installed Sunday March 25, 1827, 
by Rev. Reuben Parmele. 



37 

May 5, 1827, Rev. Garret HoDenbeck, and Rev. Warren 
Day were invited to attend, as counsellors for the church, 
the meeting of the Consociation held May 16, 1827, 
and referred to above. A letter of dismission from the 
association was requested. 

November 29, 1827, this branch declined to return to 
Congregational government, but proposed as a basis of 
settlement, to meet on middle ground, and unite on the 
accommodating plan set forth in the Presbyterian Digest. 

January 12, 1828, Alvah Dickinson, was appointed a 
■delegate to attend Presbytery at Geneseo, on January 15, 
1828, and present a request for the admission of the church 
to Presbytery ; which request was granted and the church 
received January 16, 1828. 

Rev. Daniel Johnson began his ministry at Victor, 
about September 7, 1828. 

Mr. Johnson, was the son of Thomas, and Mary 
Lathrop Johnson, and was born at Bridgewater, Mass. 
November 1783. He was one of the younger children of 
a large family, and his father was a farmer. He was 
educated at Brown University, Providence R. I. and 
studied divinity at Bridgewater, with his pastor, Dr. Reed, 
a Unitarian. In 1808 he was ordained and settled for life 
(a custom then prevalent) in Orleans, Barnstable County, 
Mass. 

In 1809 he married Miss Maria A. Sampson, of 
Plymouth, Mass ("a lineal descendant of Miles Standish ; 
also of John Alden and Priscilla, whose eldest daughter 
Sarah, married Alexander, the only son of Miles Standish 
by Rose ") Miss Sampson was not only of Puritan blood, but 
also of Puritan orthodoxy , which was far more important when 
she undertook the reformation of this young Unitarian, who 
soon began to feel the influence of such association, and con- 
vinced by such suasion, that his wife's religion was more in 
accord with Scripture, abandoned his liberal sentiments, 
burned his sermons, and avowed himself for Christ. He carried 
his church with him. This shows what one truly pious wife 



33 

can do. After a ministry of twenty years at Orleans, he 
came to Victor about September 7, 1828 and was the first 
pastor of this church under its Presbyterian government. 
His judgement was good, and he proved successful in 
harmonizing the discordant elements, and so accomplishing 
much toward reunion. After leaving Victor in December 
183 1, Mr. Johnson preached for a time at Bushnell's Basin, 
was several years at Sweden, also at Adam's Basin, in 
Odgen. His health failing he retired to a small farm, 
occasionally supplying some vacant pulpit for a few months 
at a time. In 1852 he removed to Fairport where in 
Febuary i860 he buried his wife after living together more 
than fifty years. He died October 1867, in his eighty- fourth 
year. Mrs. Mary J. Marsaellus, of Fairport, who so kindly 
has furnished the substance for this sketch, and who is his 
eldest daughter, born at Orleans, Mass., in 1810, writes 
of him. " He was deeply interested in the formation and 
success of the American board, and also in everything 
pertaining to missionary work. Among my earliest 
recollections, are the earnest prayers at the family altar for 
those who had gone to carry the gospel to the heathen. 

Temperance work early found in him an ardent 
supporter and advocate. His character was symmetrical, a 
well balanced mind, and even temperament ; a love for all 
the ordiances of God's house; a constant attendant at the 
prayer-meeting, and Sabbath services in his old age ; 
and liberality with his modest means, were distinguishing 
traits." Wherever known he was highly respected. 



January II, 1829, John Mosher, and William Bushnell 
were ordained elders. They had been elected May 30, 
1829, at which time John Wells was elected deacon. Elder 
William Bushnell was clerk of session for one year, when 
he resigned and Elder J. W. Peet was elected clerk. 

August 25, 1829, the Presbytery of Ontario met for 
the first time in Victor, the church in the past having been 



39 

connected with the Congregational association. This brings 
the record of this branch up to the reunion, which took 
place September 20, 1832. 

THE REUNION. 

Both parties met in the meeting house on the above 
mentioned date, Rev. Reuben Parmele, moderator., and 
Nathan Jenks, clerk. The ladies also were given a voice in 
the proceedings, and sanctioned the reunion. 

The name and goverment of the church were to be 
congregational, the majority to rule. Any person, or 
persons, aggrieved by the decision of the majority, could 
have the right of appeal, either to a council advisory or to 
the Presbytery. A matter carried before a council must 
come before the church for final approval. But in case of 
appeal to Presbytery, the decision of that body was final. 
The church records were to be submitted to the Presbytery 
annually for review, but the Presbytery was not to have any 
authority or control over the church itself. September 27, Ira 
Dickinson, Frederick A. Hart, Samuel Tallmadge, William 
Bushnell, and Belden Seymour, were appointed a committee 
to present a copy of the new constitution to the members, for 
their subscription. October 4th, of the same year, the 
committee reported that the new constitution had been 
submitted to nearly every member, and that all but one to 
whom it was presented, had signed it. William Bushnell, 
Waitstell Dickinson, and Rev. Reuben Parmele, were 
appointed a committee to bear a copy of the new constitution 
to Presbytery and secure its concurrence therewith. (For 
list of those who signed new constitution see p, 34, vol. 2, of 
Records.) 
GENERAL OUTLINE OF RECORDS SUBSEQUENT TO REUNION. 

January 13, 1833. The Lord's Supper was administered 
by Rev. Silas C. Brown, and seven united with the church. 
Thus early did the blessings of reunion begin to manifest 



40 

themselves. The day following, Mr. Brown moderated a 
church meeting that gave a call to Rev. Richard Kay. 

The new church building was dedicated, January 24,. 
1833, at 11 A. M. and Mr. Kay, was ordained and installed, 
by the same council, at 2 o'clock P. M. of the same day. and 
so the reunited church received its new house of worship,, 
and new pastor, on the same day, and began a new career, 
which was destined to grow brighter and stronger and 
more efficient, from that day forward. 

The council convened January 23 , examined Mr. Kay r 

and made preparation for his ordination and installation on 

the following day. 

Rev. Asa Johnson, offered the introductory prayer. 

Rev, Gilbert Morgan, preached the sermon. 

Rev. Silas C. Brown offered the ordaining prayer and 
delivered the charge to the people. 

Rev. Reuben Parmele, the charge to the pastor. 

Rev. Daniel Johnson, the right hand of fellowship. 

Rev. James Cahoon, the concluding prayer. 

(See chapter V Church Erection, for the council which 
ordained and installed Mr. Kay.) 

Mr. Kay was a graduate of Auburn Theological 
Seminary, class of 1829-32, and to its catalogue I am 
indebted for the few following facts connected with his life. 

He was born in Dublin, Ireland, January 16, 1799; 
united with the English Episcopal church, in childhood ; 
removed to Canada West in 18 19; some years later studied 
at Hadley, Mass.; studied theology with Rev. Mr. Wood- 
bridge, of Hadley, Mass. and at Auburn, 1830-2 ; He 
married Miss Mary Anne Flynn. of Auburn. June 6, 1832; 
he died of Apoplexy, at Lansing, Mich., Jan. 2, 1877. He 
had five sons and five daughters ; his wife and three sons 
survived him; he was ordained and installed at Victor, 
N. Y. by a council January 24, 1833 ; was at Victor, 1832-5; 
Holley, 1838-40; Warsaw, 1840-7; Groveland, 1847-9; Oak- 
land, 1849-52; Bennington, Mich., 1852-77. 

A strong' move was made towards a better church 



4i 

attendance in October, I833, by the appointment of a 
committee to visit each church member and hold prayer 
meetings in the different districts, and so awaken the 
church members and interest others, and urge and develop 
a more earnest attention to spiritual things and church 
attendance. This was an important move, its effect being 
apparent in a healthier religious condition of the church, 
and in increased conversions. 

February 28, 1835, it was decided to print the Articles 
of Faith and Covenant of the church, together with the 
membership roll. It was very difficult for me to secure 
even fragmentary copies of this circular. At the same 
meeting in February a Total Abstinence Society was 
organized in connection with the church. Nathan Jenks 
and Belden Seymour were appointed a committee to draft 
a constitution for said society. It was also resolved that 
the church meet once in two weeks to pray for success and 
blessing to attend our efforts in the Sabbath School cause. 
How much of the present prosperity of the church is 
undoubtedly due to this action arid such seasons of 
prayer ! 

The zeal of those Christians, fifty-three years ago, has 
left the healthy impress of its influence on the church to-day 
and if we would do as much for the generations to come, 
we must imbue the present with a truly pious and consecrated 
life, and attention to church and spiritual affairs. The Sab- 
bath breaker of to-day, who neglects God's house, and by 
riding and driving and social amusements, lowers the 
Christian estimate of the Sabbath and religious life, and 
neglects the Sabbath School, and to pray and work for its 
prosperity, is sowing a lower life and cursings rather than 
blessings for the generations to come. 

The above is the first minute I have found on the 
records concerning the existence of a Sabbath School. It 
shows that such a school was already an established adjunct 
of the church. I am fortunate in being able to secure an 



account. of that first organization from the lips of one of 
the scholars of the first Sabbath School class organized, 
and who is still living in the community. Mrs. Betsey 
Boughton, then Betsey Parks, daughter of Simeon Parks, 
a deacon of this church, came to Victor with her parents 
in the year 1812, and was then thirteen years old. having 
been born the same year in which this church organization 
was completed. In 18 14 the Sabbath School was organized. 
There were no stoves in the old church on the hill, and 
after the service, she, with a few of the other girls, would 
run down to Mrs. Dr. Beach's kitchen to warm themselves. 
One Sabbath they found Mrs. Beach getting something for 
a guest to eat. At that moment she was toasting bread, 
and while so engaged entered into conversation with the 
girls as to their knowledge of the Bible. 

The next Sabbath when they came in she proposed 
that they come there every Sabbath and study the Bible 
with her. This pleased the girls for they were fond of Aunt 
Fally Beach, as they used to call her. This Sabbath school 
class soon grew to such proportions that it became necessary 
to use the ball room upstairs, thus consecrating that place 
of pedal and lower education, to a higher and spiritual 
ambition. This Sunday School has been kept up to this 
day and now numbers over three hundred members. 

The roll of the present school can be found in 
Appendix (D) 

The house then occupied by Dr. Beach is the present 
residence of William Gallup, on Main Street, next door to 
his store. The house is one of the old landmarks of the 
town, and was at the time above mentioned a prominent 
hotel in this region. It is said that in 1824-25, when 
Lafayette was passing through, he spoke from its piazza to 
the people assembled to honor him. 

April 19, 1835, the church gathered about the Lord's 
table, upon the occasion of bidding farewell to one of its 
members, Miss Marietta Rawson, who was about to sail as a 



43 

missionary to Bombay, India, having married Joseph 
Webster. Out of this church and Sabbath School others 
have gone to serve the Lord as ambassadors of Christ. 
There is Rev. Dr. D. Henry Palmer, of Perin Yan, the son 
of Dr. Palmer, the respected and beloved physician, who 
served the community so faithfully for years ; and there is 
also his other son. Rev. Frederick William Palmer, who has 
recently completed his studies at Auburn Seminary for this 
same sacred office. Then there are Rev. Clark B Gillette, 
of Elmira, and Rev. Albert S. Bacon, of Oneida Castle, and 
Rev. George F. Sweezy, whose father was an elder in the 
church before removing to Batavia. These were all mem- 
bers of this Sabbath School and attendants upon the 
church, and most of them members of the church while they 
lived in Victor. I should also mention Miss Emeline Dryer 
and Miss Mary Moore, both of whom are now engaged in 
the Bible work at Chicago, 111., and also Miss Abbie E. 
Parks, for a time a missionary to Utah. 

November 12, 1835, a council convened to consider the 
request of Mr. Kay for a dissolution of the pastoral relation. 
It consisted of Rev. J. B. Richardson, of Pittsford, Rev. 
Silas C. Brown and delegate Jonathan Smith, Rev. Robert 
W. Hill, of East BloomSeld ; Rev. Samuel Schaffer, of West 
Bloomfield, delegates William Janes and William Buff el. Mr. 
Kay appears to have ministered to the church after this date 
and until July 3. 1836. 

November 6, 1836. Rev. Jairus Wilcox entered upon 
his ministry here, and he served the church until January 
14, 1838. So far I have been unable to secure anything 
concerning the life of Mr. Wilcox, before or since he was at 
Victor. 

October 19, 1837, the church met to receive a commis- 
sion from the Presbytery of Ontario, charged with the 
mission of dissolving the relation subsisting between the 
church and Presbytery, unless the church could agree to 
become Presbyterian in full. The commission consisted of 



44 

Rev. John Barnard, D. D., Rev. Caleb Burge and Elder 
Raymond. 

The church declined the conditions and returned to its 
previous status, an independent Congregational church. 
Marcus A. Norton, Belden Seymour and Isaac T. Hollister 
were appointed a committee to draw up a constitution and 
revise the confession and covenant. The committee 
reported recommending that the chuich " take the Holy 
Bible as its constitution, that being, so far as the observa- 
tion and research of your committee have extended, the 
only constitution known and acknowledged among churches 
of like denomination." It is evident that it had not been the 
misfortune of these good brethren to run across any of the 
hypothetically inspired New Theology advocates, or their 
faith in God's word might have been impiously shaken. 

Under the advice of a council convened November 13, 
1837, consisting of ministers, Dr Barnard, Robert \V. Hill, 
and John B. Richardson, the old confession and covenant 
were added to the above mentioned constitution; All 
offices in the church were declared vacant and arrangements 
made for a new election. (These were evidently days of 
organization and reorganization, but this church were veterans 
in ecclesiastical warfare and revolutions, and it tended in the 
end to a more settled condition.) 

One feature of the new order was a committee of four, 
two chosen annually, who with the pastor constituted a 
committee of general supervision over church affairs, 
answering to the present session. November 20, 1837, 
John Wells and Marcus A. Norton, were elected deacons. 
Samuel Talimadge and J. W. Peet, were elected members of 
the standing committee to serve one year, and Isaac T. 
Hollister and Hiram Seymour, to serve for two years. 
Albert Simondswas elected clerk. 

June20, 1838, this church extended a call to Rev. Charles 
E. Furman, at a salary of $500. which in those days was 
considered liberal. Mr. Furman's acceptance of the call 
was not formally received until June 15, 1840. 



45 

Rev. Charles Edwin Furman, D. D., was born in 
Clinton, Dutchess County, N. Y., December 13, 1801. His 
father came from Newton, L. I., and his mother was 
a daughter of John Gazlay, of "Nine Partners," N. Y- 
About 1805 he removed with his father to Saratoga County, 
near Ballston Centre, which church he joined in 1821. 
There his parents lived and died. He graduated from 
Union College in 1826; studied two years at Auburn 
Theological Seminary, entering the middle class, and 
graduating in 1828. Was licensed June 1828. Was an 
agent of the American Tract Society in Ohio, from 1828 — 
1829. He then went to Fort Wayne, Indiana, where he 
spent a year organizing a Presbyterian Church, being the 
first minister who preached there. He was ordained by the 
Presbytery of Cayuga at Skaneateles, June 17, 1830, and 
settled at Clarkson, N. Y., July 1, 1830, where he remained 5^ 
years. January 19, 1831, he married Miss Harriet Emeline 
Johnson, of Rochester, N. Y.; Rev. Charles G. Finney, 
officiating. The Clarkson church was much blessed by his 
ministry. From Clarkson he was urged to go to Hamilton, 
Canada, where he remained two years. In 1837, the 
insurrection in Canada, known as the Patriot War, caused 
him to move his family to Rochester, where he remained 
during the following winter, supply in the Brick church. 
The first Sabbath in March, 1838, he began his ministry in 
Victor, where he remained until April, 1846. His labors 
here were greatly blessed, and 151 members were added to 
the roll during his ministry. 

From Victor he went to Medina, 1846-54. In 1852, 
his health failing through Bronchial and other troubles, 
he held on until May, 1854, when he resigned and went 
to Rochester to live. 

While here he was employed by the American Bible 
Society for five years. 

Afterwards he supplied the pulpit of the church at 
Chili for two years and subsequently the church at Brighton 



4 6 

for one year. December I, i860, his wife was summoned 
to Heaven, and on account of feeble health, he spent some 
time in traveling with his youngest daughter. 

He lived a year with his eldest daughter, in Buffalo, 
and in May, 1866, upon the marriage of his youngest 
daughter, now Mrs. Martin Briggs, he went to live with 
her at Rochester, until on June 10, 1880, God took him. 

His first year in this new home of his daughter, was 
one of sickness, during which his Bible was his constant 
companion. He would pore over it, expressing his delight 
with its beautiful and precious truth. Recovering from 
this illness he again entered the pulpit. This time the 
Gates church was benefited by his ripened ministrations 
for more than two years. Then he returned to his former 
charge at Clarkson, where he remained for more than two 
years, until May, 1872. So long as his health endured, he 
was in the field, at work for the master, preaching as 
opportunity offered. Early in his ministry he served as 
clerk, was temporary clerk of the Synod of Geneva for 
two years, and for more than twenty-five years was its 
permanent clerk. Was stated clerk of Niagara Presbytery 
for ten years, and about as many years of the Rochester 
Presbytery. In the "Half Century of the Presbytery of 
Rochester,' 1 (memorial services in the Brick church, 1869) 
is a poem by him, written for the occasion, and entitled 
" The Pastor." 

He received D. D. from Hamilton College in 1878. 
During the last years of his life he was a great and patient 
sufferer, and yet found time to publish two books entitled 
respectively "Home Scenes" (1874), and "Valley of the 
Genesee" (1879) an< ^ several occasional poems. Shortly 
before his death, he wrote of his several charges, "Among them 
all I have been familiar since leaving, and from them have 
received universal expressions of affection : have often been 
called to participate in their joys and sympathize with them 
in sorrows ; and since I am old, have been treated as a father 



47 

as well as a brother. I feel unworthy of their esteem, 
because of the too feeble efforts in services for my master, 
and the few returns I will be able to make when called to 
render an account of my stewardship. If anything I have 
done has been approved and blessed of God, it has been 
because of the gracious presence of His Spirit, attending 
so humble a means, blessing so feeble an instrumentality, 
and counteracting the influence of so many faults and 
imperfections." His tomb is in Mount Hope Cemetry, 
Rochester, N. Y. He had five children : three daughters 
and two sons. 



March 22, 1843, tne duties of the committee of advice 
and pastoral assistance were made to include the visitation 
of each family in their respective districts at least twice 
each year. This is part of the Sessional oversight under 
the present church government, and upon its faithful 
performance largely depends the spiritual prosperity of the 
church. The minister has his own peculiar, pastoral work 
to perform, but there is a sphere of such work for the 
eldership, which the minister cannot reach. 

This church planted itself squarely against slavery, by 
the action it took in December, 1843, declaring that "Slavery 
as it exists in this country, is a moral, social, and political evil. 
An, evil that results in oppression, ignorance, licentiousness, 
and heathenism; and hence in the ruin of immortal souls; 
and therefore ought to be abolished immediately." 

It took strong ground against christians abetting this 
evil, and appealed to the church to use its prayers and 
influence for the suppression of the traffic. 

The March communion season, 1846, was the end of 
Mr. Furman's pastorate. 



He was succeeded by Rev. Charles M. Merwin, who 
administered the Lord's Supper in May 1846, and was 
installed by an ecclesiastical council, Nov. 10, 1846. 



4 8 

The council consisted of Rev. Robert W. Hill, of East 
Bloomfield, and delegate Andrew Cone, Rev. Maltby 
Gelston, Rushville, and delegate George Thorpe, Rev. N. 
W. Fisher, Palmyra, and delegate R. G. Pardee, Rev. J. 
B. Richardson, of Pittsford, and delegate George Eddy, 
Rev. 0. E. Daggett, of Canandaigua, and delegate L. B. 
Tousley ; Rev. A. T. Rankin, of Mendon, and delegate 
Ezra Sheldon; Rev. C. W. Gilman, of Fairport and Rev. 
Charles E. Furman, of Medina. " Bro. R. S. Crampton 
being present was invited to sit with the council. 

Rev. Mr. Rankin, read the Scriptures and offered the 
introductory prayer. 

Rev. Mr. Fisher preached the sermon. 

Rev. Mr. Richardson offered the installation prayer. 

Rev. Mr. Gelston gave the charge to the pastor. 

Rev. Dr. Daggett the right hand of fellowship. 

Rev. Mr. Furman the charge to the people. 

Rev. Mr. Gillman the concluding prayer. 

Mr. Hill was moderator, and Dr. Daggett, scribe. 

Rev. Charles Meruin, was born in Brookfield, Conn. 
October I, 1810. In 1827, he united with the church in 
Richmond N. Y. He studied at the University of New 
York city. Married Miss Amelia Oliphant, of Auburn, 
Aug. 20, 1840; and Miss Sarah T. Randall, of Lewiston, 
Oct. 21, 1870. He graduated at Auburn Theological 
Seminary in 1840. Was ordained and installed at Sodus, 
N. Y. by the Presbytery of Geneva, Febuary 18, 1842. 
Was settled at Sodus, 1 841-6; at Victor, 1847-9; Columbus 
Ind. 1850; Lexington, Miss. 1852-3; Panama, N. Y. 1854-5; 
Georgetown, Ohio, 1855-7; Amesville, 1858-64; Pomeroy, 
1865-8; Lewiston, N. Y. 1868-70; Dresden, Ohio, 1870-1 
Unionville, la., 1871-2 : Malvern, 1872-5; and the minutes 
of 1888 record him as honorably retired and residing at 
Tabor, Iowa. 

Mr. Merwin remained with the church until Aug. 7, 
1849, ^'hen the following council dissolved the pastoral 
relation. 



49 

Rev. L. W. Billington, moderator, Fairport, and delegate 
Cyrus Leonard, Rev. J. B. Richardson, and delegate John 
Eckler; Rev. R. W. Hill, and delegate George W. Allen; 
Rev. Henry W. Taylor, and delegate L. B. Tousley ; Rev. 
Thomas Belamy, Penfield, Rev. A. G. Hall, 3d ch. 
Rochester, also present Rev. Charles Merwin, and Messrs. 
Albert Simonds and Dr. J. W. Palmer, Committee. 

January 6, 1850, the Lord's Supper was administered 
by Rev. A. Van H. Powell, who appears to have continued 
to supply the church and on June 15, 1850, the society 
instructed the trustees to employ him for an indefinite time, 
.and he continued in charge of the pulpit until after March 
2, 1 85 1. We have been unable to find anything further 
•concerning Mr. Powell. 

July 8, 185 1, the trustess were authorized to employ 

Rev. Calvin Waterbury. He continued without installation 

until October 21, 1852, when the congregation renewed the 

call with a view to his installation, and on the succeeding 

November 4, at 10 A. M he was installed by the following 

Council. 

Rev. Dr. O. E. Daggett, moderator, Rev. Job Pierson 

Jr., scribe, Deacon W. M. Chipman, delegate from Canan- 
daigua, Rev. Dr. Henry Kendall, delegate Andrew Cone, 
Rev. Dr. James B. Shaw. Rev. R. Harrington, of the East 
Genesee Conference, was invited to sit as corresponding 
member. Mr. Waterbury was a member of the Rochester 

Presbyterv. 

Rev. R. Harrington, read the Scripture and offered 

the opening prayer. 

Rev. Dr. Daggett preached the sermon. 

Rev. Dr. Kendall offered the installation prayer and 
gave the charge to the people. 

Rev. Dr. Shaw gave the charge to the pastor. 

Rev. Job. Pierson the right hand of fellowship and 
concluding prayer. 

Benediction by the pastor. 

Mr. Waterbury's pastoral relation terminated August 



5o 

10, 1 855. Previously at a meeting of the church July 24, 
.1855, when Mr. Waterbury presented his resignation, 
resolutions were adopted of which the following is the 
substance. 

Mr. Waterbury being about to leave this place which 
he has filled with " honor to himself and profit to us." 

Resolved, That in accepting his resignation we can but 
record our testimony to the faithfulness and success with 
which he has discharged his duties while among us. That 
with great reluctance we consent to severing relations which 
have proved so agreeable, and we trust so profitable to all. 

The ecclesiastical council convened August 15, 1855. at 
10 A. M., to dissolve the pastoral relation, consisted of Rev. 
Dr. James B. Shaw, moderator, and Rev. L. W. Billington, 
clerk. Also Rev. Job Pierson, Jr., Rev. Dr. Henry Kendall, 
Rev. O. C. Beardsley, David Dickey, John Eckler, J. V. \V. 
Annin, M. Adams, of East Bloomfield, and H. Allen. The 
council declared that with deep regret it consented to the 
dissolution of a relation which has so happily existed between 
pastor and people, yet concurred in the will of the great 
head of the church, which had evidently called him to 
another field, and cordially commended him to the warm sym- 
pathies and earnest co-operation of the ministry and 
churches, as a zealous and devoted servant of the Lord 
Jesus Christ and eminently qualified to proclaim the gospel. 

Rev. Calvin Waterbury, son of Daniel and Mary Water- 
bury, was the youngest of a family of eleven children, and 
was born in Middletown, Deleware County, N. Y., April 21, 
1809. His early life was given to Christ and soon after he 
turned his heart to the ministry. He received his theologi- 
cal education at Lane and Auburn seminaries; one year at 
the former and two years at the latter, where he graduated 
in 1836. He married for his first wife Miss Priscilla Betts v 
of Franklin, N. Y., January 8, 1836, and for his second wife 
Mrs. Ann P. Bachmann Phipps, September 19, 1867. His 
first charge was at Butternuts, Otsego County, N. Y.; was 
pastor at Gilbertsville, N. Y., 8 years, First Presbyterian 



5i 

church, Freeport, 111., 1842-7, Victor, N. Y., July 8, 1851 to 
Aug. 15, 1885, Bergen, N. Y.. Knoxville, 111., Cedar Falls, 
Iowa, .Tonesboro and Kingsport, Tenn. He died at his 
home, Rotherwood, Tenn. January 3, 1874. In a short 
obituary of him, it is stated that he was "a man of earnest 
life and warm heart," and "leaves loving friends at every 
scene of his labors." An extract from the minutes of 
Holston Presbytery, Synod of Tennessee declares that "he 
was a man of very strong convictions, and whatever he felt 
was duty, in that he engaged with all his might. Believing 
that education was the true handmaid of religion, he was 
found, where he went, an ardent and zealous worker in that 
cause. He was a man of indomitable will; difficulties never 
deterred him. He had a very strong and abiding faith in 
the promises and truth of God. No dispensations of his 
providences ever seemed to cause him to doubt. In later 
life, he seemed to have the most perfect assurance of his 
acceptance through Christ, and his sickness and death were 
a triumphant manifestation of the power of grace." "With 
this implicit faith in Christ he fell asleep. Truly the 
righteous hath hope in his death." The same Presbytery 
resolved, "that we will miss the valuable council and wisdom 
of our deceased brother in our Presbyterial meeting. We 
record our grateful sense of the divine favor in having 
granted to him so happy and triumphant a translation to 
the church above." 

January 7, 1856, a call was extended to Rev. Charles 
C. Carr, to supply the pulpit for a year. 

Rev. Charles Carrol Carr, the son of Elijah Carr, and 
Catharine Williams, was born in Romulus, Seneca County, 
N, Y.. March 22, 1812. His father was of Scotch, and his 
mother of German descent. He worked on the farm until 
nineteen years old, then taught school two and a half years. 
May 1 831, united with the Presbyterian church at Romulus, 
Rev. Morris Barton, pastor. Mr. Carr prepared for college 
at the Geneva Lyceum, beginning August, 1833. He 



52 

graduated from Union College in 1838, and from Auburn 
Theological Seminary in 1841. He was ordained and in- 
stalled over the Presbyterian church at Horseheads. June 30, 
1841, by the Presbytery of Chemung. He resigned this 
charge April 1, 1856, preached six months, or more, at 
Victor, as pastor elect, and afterwards was pastor at Painted 
Post, two years and eight months; was settled at Burdett, 
three years and eight months. April 1, 1 863, again became 
pastor at Horseheads, remaining there until June 30, 1886, 
when he was made pastor emeritus, since then has been 
stated supply at Breesport and Sullivanville, near Horse- 
heads 

August 24, 1 841, he married Miss Eleanor Folwell of 
Romulus, who died January 1, 1863. March 30, 1864, he 
married Mrs. O. M. Cheever, of Hector. Mr. Carr has been 
connected with the Chemung Presbytery during his entire 
ministry, and was its stated clerk and tieasurer for more 
than 38 years. 

The contract with Mr. Carr terminated, by mutual 
consent, October 20, 1856, at his request. 



I take the opportunity to remark here at the end of 
this period, which mirks the transition of the church from 
Congregationalism to Presbyterianism, that the society 
records, so far as they pretain to the tempoialities, and were 
embraced in the first volume of such records, are lost ; the 
second volume dating from June 15, 1839. The church records 
are complete from its organization, as are also some important 
documents pretaining to the temporalities. 

The Act of Incorporation on file in the County Clerk's 
office (see Appendix A) exhibits the fact that Jaied Bough- 
ton, Joseph Brace, Jr., and Thomas Hawley, were the first 
trustees elected by the organization, September 13, 1798. 
The first record in Volume 2, is of the annual pew renting, 
June 15, 1839. The next meeting was Aug. 15, 1839, wnen 



53 

Rev. Mr. Furman stated that the object of the meeting 
was to take measures to procure a parsonage. 

September 12, 1839, tne trustees were authorized to 
purchase parsonage and lot for $975, and repair the building. 

December 5, 1848, the trustees were authorized to 
locate and build sheds for the accommodation of the con- 
gregation, when called for. 

October 3, 1853, the society received a communication 
from Mr. Nathan Jenks, in accord with its action of Decem- 
ber 6, 1852, and September 21, 1853, by which a final 
settlement with Mr. Jenks was effected as to land deeded 
by him to the church. 

October 17, 1855, the trustees were authorized to sell 
such portion of the eastern part of the parsonage premises 
not exceeding one-half with the barn, at such price, and on 
such terms as in their judgdment will best promote the 
interests of said society. It was such sale that probably 
established the present eastern line of the parsonage 
property. 

In order to change its corporate title to the "North 
East Congregational Society in the town of Bloomfield," 
the society was re-incorporated December 2, 181 1, and 
Abijah Williams, Ebenezer Bements, Erastus Ingersoll, 
Thomas Beach, M. D. and Abraham Boughton, were elected 
trustees. 

The society is now entitled, "The First Presbyterian 
Church in Victor." This is its present corporate title. 

December 8, 1856, the church called Rev. Job Pierson, 
Jr., of Pittsford, N. Y. 

Rev. Job Pierson D. D., was born in Schaghticoke, 
Rensselaer County, N. Y., February 3, 1824, After a pre- 
paratory education at Bennington, Vt, and Troy, N. Y„ 
he graduated from Williams College in 1842, He then 
spent two years in his father's law office, and entered 
Auburn Theological Seminary in 1844, from which he 
graduated in 1847. 1° 1846, he was licensed by the 



54 

Presbytery of Chenango. After leaving the Seminary, he 
was stated supply of the Presbyterian church at Corning for 
about two years. In the summer of 1850 he accepted a 
call to the Presbyterian church at Pittsford, N. Y, Here 
on February 12, 185 1, he was ordained and installed by 
the Rochester Presbytery, In 1856, he resigned his charge 
at Pittsford, and went abroad to England for his health. 

Returning in the fall of 1856, he accepted a call to 
the Congregational church at Victor, N. Y,, which during 
his ministry there, changed its government to Presbyterian, 
In the summer of 1863, he accepted a call to Kalamazoo, 
Mich, where he labored five years. In 1868, he accepted a 
call to the Presbyterian church of Ionia, Mich. 

His health failing i he resigned this charge in July, 1878; 
and retired from the active work of the ministry. Since then 
he has resided at Ionia, being engaged in literary work 
connected with the <; New English" and the "Stamford" 
dictionary, now in course of publication in England ; and 
occasionally, he supplied churches in the neighborhood of 
Ionia. 

In 1849, Mr. Pierson married Miss Rachel W. Smith, 
of Geneva, N. Y. by whom he has had five children, one 
daughter (being the eldest), and four sons. The two 
youngest sons were born in Victor. All his children are 
now living. In 1881, he received the degree D. D. from 
Olivet College, Mich. 

It was after thorough and prayerful consideration that 
the church determined to adopt the Presbyterian form of 
government. At a meeting held February 24, 1858, an 
informal ballot was taken with only one dissenting vote. 
Then a committee was appointed to investigate as to the 
effect of such a change upon the title to the church property. 
Able legal counsel was consulted and a satisfactory opinion 
obtained. 

March 8, 1858, the following resolution was unani- 
mously adopted : 



55 

Resolved ; That we as a church adopt the Presbyterian 
form of government and that hereafter we be known as 
the First Presbyterian Church of Victor." 

The church began with a rotary eldership of six 
members, one elder to go out of office each year, and 
another to be elected in his place. This was subsequently 
changed December 19, 1866, to a permanent eldership. 

At the first election the following named elders were 
chosen: Samuel Tallmadge, Albert Simonds, George W. 
Farnham, D. Henry Osborne, Salmon Gorsline and Hiram 
Parks. 

At the same meeting Samuel Tallmadge and Albert 
Simonds were elected deacons (March 8, 1858). 

The ordination of these officers took place on the 
Lord's day, April 4, 1858. (See Appendix B. for roll of 
Pastors, Deacons, Elders and Trustees.) 

The church was received into the Rochester Presbytery 
at its spring meeting, beginning April 6, 1858. Elder D. 
Henry Osborne representing the church and presenting its 
request for admission. 

Albert Simonds was elected clerk of session, an office 
he has held continuously to the present day, and still 
holds; his son, C. Lewis Simonds having been elected 
assistant clerk. 

The first preparatory lecture under the new govern- 
ment was held Friday, April 2, 1858, at which was adminis- 
tered the first infant baptism under the new government, 
being that of Cora Bushnell, daughter of D. Henry and 
Lovina A. Osborne. 

The Lord's Supper was administered and elders 
ordained on April 4, 1858, by Rev. Job Pierson. 

The total number of communicants at this time was 
100. Already in its past history the membership had at 
one time been over 200. It varied greatly from time to 
time. . In 1884 it was 129. It is at present over 200. Rev. 
Mr. Pierson was installed at Victor by the Rochester 



56 

Presbytery June 19, 1862. About one year afterwards, on 
September 14, 1863, he presented his resignation and 
requested the church to concur with him in asking Presby- 
tery to dissolve the pastoral relation. This the church 
reluctantly consented to do, assuring him and his family 
that they would '" ever cherish with gratitude the remem- 
brance of their devoted and faithful labors among them." 

Mr. Pierson resigned to accept a call to Kalamazoo, 
Mich. 

December 21, 1863, the church called "Rev. William H. 
Webb. 

Rev. William Henry Webb, D. D., was born at Homer, 
N. Y., June 7, 1833. He was the fourth child of Curtis 
Webb, a native of New London County, Connecticut, who 
at the age of twenty-one, moved to Homer, N. Y., where 
he married Margaret Hitchcock. 

The early life of Rev. William Webb was spent upon 
the farm at Homer. Until 14 years old, he attended the 
public school, and then entered the Cortland academy. 
Here he graduated as valedictorian of his class, in 1854, 
united in 1853 with the Congregational church at Homer. 
In 1855 he entered the Sophomore class at Hamilton College 
and graduated an "honor man" in 1858. The same year 
he entered Auburn Seminary from which he graduated in 
1 861 . In the second year of his Seminary course he was 
licensed by the "Ontario Association," and supplied vacant 
pulpits during his Senior year. After leaving the Seminary 
he was settled over the Congregational church in Niagara 
City, N. Y.; was ordained and installed July 18, 1861, by 
the "Ontario Association." May 9, 1861, he married Miss 
H. Elizabeth Prince, of Auburn, N. Y. From Niagara City 
he was called to Victor N. Y., Dec 6, 1863. October. 1865 
he accepted a call to Michigan, where he remained nine 
years. In 1 874 he accepted a call to the Second Pi esbyterian 
church, Springfield, Ohio, where he remained twelve years. 
In 1883, he received his D. D. from Wittenberg College, 



57 

Springfield, Ohio. In 1886, he resigned at Springfield, and 
is at present residing at Auburn, and spending much of 
his winters in Florida, on account of ill health. He has 
only one son living, Francis William Webb, and has lost 
three children. At the time this sketch was written, he was 
supplying a church in Florida. Mr. Webb's pastorate at 
Victor closed October 22, 1865. 

January 15, 1866, the church called Rev. Gideon P. 
Nichols, at a salary of $1000, and parsonage. This marks 
another advance by the church, in the matter of ministerial 
support. 

Rev. Gideon Parsons Nichols, D. D., the only child of 
Abiel and Jerusha Parsons Nichols, was born July 30, 1837, 
,in Windsor, Berkshire County, Mass. He received his 
preparatory education at Geneseo Academy, N. Y. under 
the Principalship of the Rev. James Nichols. He graduated 
from Union College. N. Y. in 1860. After spending two 
years as a teacher of Greek and Latin in the Seminary at 
Warnerville, N. Y., he entered Princeton Theological Sem- 
inary where he graduated in 1865. His first pastorate 
was Victor, N. Y. where he was called in May 1866. From 
Victor, he was called in 1869 to the Olivet Presbyterian 
church, Chicago, 111. While preaching in Chicago, and before 
his acceptance of the call, he was invited to the pastorate 
of Immanuel church, Milwaukee, which call he accepted. 
In June, 1871 he was married to Miss Delia B. Nichols of 
Rochester, N, Y. He resigned his charge at Milwaukee in 
1881. In July of the same year he was called to the First 
Presbyterian church of Binghamton, N. Y.. of which he is 
still the pastor. He received D. D. from Lake Forest 
University, in 1880. 

Mr. Nichols left Victor after August 8, 1869. His 
ministry had been fruitful of conversions, and he had 
endeared himself to the church. August 22, 1870, the 
church voted to recall Mr. Nichols at salary of $1,500, 
but the call was declined. 



58 

It was at this meeting Col. Lewis made his offer of a 
$2,000 organ, if the society would include in its contem- 
plated improvements a place for the organ. 

Rev. Louis Bodwell, of Topeka, Kansas, and at the 
time residing at the Sanitarium, Clifton Springs, N. Y. 
supplied the pulpit for about a year from February 6, 1870. 

March 20, 1871, the church called Rev. Henry T. 
Miller, at a salary of $1,200 and parsonage. Mr. Miller was 
ordained and installed by the Rochester Presbytery June 1, 
1871. 

Rev. Henry Thaddeus Miller, a son of Nathaniel B. and 
Sophia Miller, was born in Tuscarora, Livingston County, 
N. Y., August 17, 1842. He prepared for college at Lima, 
N. Y., united with the Brick (Pres.) Church, Rochester, 
June 2, 1867. Graduated from Rochester University in 
1868, and from Auburn Theological Seminary in 1871. He 
married Miss Jennie Kennedy, of New York City, October 
17, 1871. 

His first settlement was at Victor, where he was 
ordained and installed by the Presbytery of Rochester, June 
1, 1871. Here he remained until June 1, 1873. From Victor 
he went to Medina, N. Y., 1873 — -5, then to Chicago, 111., 
6th Presbyterian Church from 1875 — 82. From Chicago to 
Fort Street, Presbyterian Church, Detroit, Mich. 

Mr. Miller found the church with a membership of 172, 
which was increased during his ministry, and at the time of 
his call to Medina, numbered 205. 

October 25, 1873, the church called Rev. William B. 
Marsh, of Huron, Wayne County, N. Y. 

Rev. William Blackmore Marsh, was born in Truro, N. 
S., October 26, 1844. His father, Moses Marsh, was a 
native of Boston, Mass., and descended from Alexander 
Marsh, who settled at Quincy, Mass. in 1650. 

His mother, Hannah Blackmore, was born in Truro, N. 
S. When seven years old, William went with his parents 
to Chelsea, Mass. where he received his early schooling. 






5 9 

When about n years old, he went to pursue his studies 
with his brother, who was teaching in Carroll College, 
Waukesha, Wis. Here he remained five years, graduating 
in 1 860. He graduated from Princeton Theological Seminary 
in 1863. Princeton College gave him A. M. in 1863. He 
was licensed by New Brunswick Presbytery April, 1865. 
Was agent of U. S. San. Com. '64 — '65, and was with 
Gen. Grant's army, and afterwards in Shenandoah Valley 
under Sheridan, was in charge of the relief at Winchester 
after the battle of Opequam Creek, where many were 
wounded, and was acting chief clerk of San. Com. 
office at Washington, at the time Early menaced the 
Capitol. Subsequently was sent north to interest the 
people in the work. He presented this cause through 
Pennsylvania and the New England States. After the war he 
entered the Home Mission field, was in charge of Presbyte- 
rian churches at Gilman and Piper City, 111. from '65 — '67, 
being the first and only minister in a tract 25 miles square- 
In two years a church building and parsonage were erected. 
He was ordained an evangelist at Bloomington, 111., April 
25, 1866. With a brother, since become a minister, and a 
sister, now a missionary to Morioka, Japan, Mr. Marsh 
settled at Northfield and Bedford, Ohio, '67 — '71. 

September 5, 1867, he married Elvira Ann Means. 
He was S. S. at Huron, Wayne County, N. Y. '71 — '"/t,, 
Pastor at Victor, December 7, 1873, to November 22, 1875. 
From Victor he was called to Tallmadge, Ohio. (Congre- 
gational church) where he remained ten years. From 
Tallmadge, in 1885 he removed to Burton, Geauga County, 
Ohio. Mr. Marsh had four children, two boys and two 

girls, all are living. 

At a meeting of the society at Victor, held November 
15, 1875, Mr. Marsh gave notice of his resignation to accept 
a call to Tallmadge, Ohio, and requested the concurrence of 

the church. 

Resolutions were adopted testifying to the faithfulness 

and efficiency of Mr. Marsh, and especially to his efforts in 



6o 



the interest of Christian Missions. During the pastorate of 
Mr. Marsh, and on October I, 1875, the session instituted 
measures for the organization of a town Bible Society, and 
sought co-operation from the other evangelical churches in 
the town. 

Rev. Robert Ennis began his ministry at Victor, 
February 12, 1876. On April 24, 1876, after a season of 
revival, the church called Mr. Ennis to become its pastor- 
Mr. Ennis accepted conditionally without installation. 

Rev. Robert Ennis, eldest son of Joseph, and Ruth 
Ann Ennis, was born at Perth Centre, Fulton County, N. 
Y. June 25, 1 841. When two years old, his parents moved to 
Princetown, Schenectady County, N. Y. and settled on a 
farm. He joined the united Presbyterian church, Florida, 
N. Y. under the ministry of Rev. George M. Hall, in 1854, 
together with twenty-four young men. He had a strong 
desire at that time to enter the ministry, but his parents 
being in straitened circumstances he was kept at work 
during the summers, and at the district school in winter, 
until nineteen years old, when he entered the acad- 
emy at Johnstown, N. Y., to prepare for college. He 
graduated from Union College in 1867, and entered 
Princeton Theological Seminary that same Fall, graduating 
there in 1870. He was pastor elect over the Presbyterian 
church at Broadalbin, Fulton County, N. Y. about one year. 
During a revival there his health failed, and he was obliged 
to resign. 24 converts were the fruit of his short ministry. 
In November 1871, he was ordained and installed over the 
Presbyterian church at Pequea, Lancaster, County Pa. by 
the Presbytery of Westminster, during this pastorate^of 
three years and a half about 200 united with the church. 
At the beginning of 1876, while conducting meetings at 
Chili, N. Y. he was sent to supply the church at Victor, 
where he remained from February 12, 1876, to Augusts, 
1877. In 1878, he was installed over the West End Pres- 
byterian church, at West Albany, N. Y.; here he remained 






6i 

about six years. In the spring of 1882, he married the 
daughter of Mr. James Scase, and in the fall of 1883, was 
sent out under the Board of Home Missions to Madison, 
Dakota, here he was stated supply for two years, when the 
health of his family compelled him to remove to Jackson- 
ville, Oregon. He is at present supplying the Presbyterian 
churches of Jacksonville and Phoenix, in the Presbytery of 
Oregon. 

Mr. Ennis terminated his connection with the Victor 
church, August 5, 1877. 

Rev. Thomas E. Babb, began to supply the Victor 
church November 26, 1877, 

January 14, 1878, the church called him to the pastorate. 
Mr. Babb accepted the call to take effect April 1, 1878. 

Rev. Thomas Earle Babb, was born in Orange, N. J. 
August 21, 1840, and was the son of William G. and Anna 
Earl Babb. His early residence and education were in 
New York city. Between his early schooling and fitting 
for college he served three years as a clerk in New York. He 
prepared for college at the New York University Grammar 
School. Graduated at Amherst College, 1865, studied two 
years in Bangor Theological Seminary, and one year at 
Andover, graduating there in 1868. Taught school several 
terms, during college and seminary course, was ordained 
January 19, 1869, served as acting pastor of Congregational 
church, at Eastport, Maine, from September, 1868 to May, 
1871, and as pastor at Oxford, Mass. from May, 1871, to 
May. 1877. Was pastor of Presbyterian church, Victor, N. Y. 
from March 1878, to June 1883; and was the acting pastor of 
the Congregational church at West Brookfield, Mass. from 
June 1883, where he is at the present time. 

September 28, 1869, he married Miss Ellen Augusta 
Cook, of Bangor, Maine. The interval between his 
pastorate at Oxford and Victor was spent, mostly, at the 
Sanitarium, Clifton Springs. During Mr. Babb's ministry 
and on August 2, 1878, the session voted the use of 
unfermented wine for the communion table. In 1880, 



62 

$1,500 were raised to pay off an accumulated debt. 
Whereupon the society solemnly pledged itself that at the 
time of seat-rentings it would hereafter be as liberal as able, 
and prompt in its payments, to the end that the House of our 
God may never again be brought under the reproach of debt. 
The resolution is very happily worded, there being no 
determination to be niggardly with God or His servants, 
but to come up liberally to the measure of the needs of His 
cause and church. If all churches would honestly pay such 
vows unto God, they would be under a continuous 
shower of blessing. 

Mr. Babb resigned his charge at Victor, to accept a call 
to Brookfield, Mass., April 23, 1883. At a meeting of the 
church, held for the purpose, the following action was taken. 
I give only an extract : 

" Although we deeply deplore the loss of his able 
ministrations and his faithful labors of love among us, his 
upright and conscientious life, his earnest zeal for the good 
of the people of his charge and the glory of the Master of 
the Heavenly Kingdom, we do unite with him in requesting 
Presbytery to dissolve his relation with us, that he may, in 
obedience to the Master's call, go elsewhere to labor in the 
common vineyard, feeling that what is our loss will be to 
others gain. " To this was added affectionate commenda- 
tion of his family much beloved. 

The present encumbent received a call from the church, 
October 15, 1883, but did not see his way clear to accept, 
and declined. The call was repeated twice thereafter, the 
last time in June, 1884, and was accepted, to take effect 
July 1, 1884. Rev. Clarence Walworth Backus, the son of 
Rev. Dr. J. Trumbell Backus and Ann E. Walworth, was 
born in Schenectady, N. Y., April 20, 1846. He was 
educated there in the public schools, and a graduate of 
Union College in the class of 1870; and united with the 
First Presbyterian church, Schenectady, June 24, 1866. He 
spent one year of his early school life (1863) at the Penn- 
sylvania Military Academy, Westchester, Pa., (now at 



Chester). July 29, 1864, he was commissioned by Governor 
Horatio Seymour, first lieutenant in the 97th New York 
State Volunteers, and was immediately assigned to duty as 
aid de camp on the staff of General M. D. Hardin, 
commanding defenses north of the Potomac, with head- 
quarters at Washington, D. C. Subsequently, at his own 
request, on November 11, 1864, he was transferred to the 
staff of General Wesley Merritt, commanding cavalry under 
General Sheridan, and with the exception of about two 
months during the following winter, when on duty in 
Washington, he remained with General Merritt in Sheri- 
dan's command until after Appomattox and the review at 
Washington. He was mustered out with his regiment, 
July 18, 1865. He spent three years at Princeton 
Theological Seminary, and on April 30, 1873, married 
Susan Livingston Washington, daughter of James Augustine 
Washington, M. D., of New York city. He was licensed to 
preach by the Albany Presbytery at New Scotland, June 
12, 1872. In May, 1873, he entered upon his first charge at 
Northampton and Northville, N. Y. He was ordained at 
the First Presbyterian church, Schenectady, N. Y., June 
11,1873, ar, d installed at Northampton, July 23^ 1874. 
From Northampton he went to Charlton, October 17, 1876. 
From there, to Princetown, April 29, 1883, and to Victor, 
July I, 1884. He was received into the Rochester 
Presbytery, at Fowlerville, on September 16, 1884. He 
served that Presbytery as Moderator in the fall of 1886, and 
as a delegate to the General Assembly at Philadelphia in 
1888. 

He has one son living, Jonathan Trumbull Backus, 
born at Schenectady, N. Y., October 1, 1878. 

At the beginning of his pastorate the church numbered 
129 members, and so far the Lord has blessed this ministry. 



October 3, 1884. A Confession and Covenant in accord 
with the standards of the Presbyterian church, was adopted. 



6 4 

January 30, 1880, the government of the Sabbath school 
was placed in the hands of the Session, in accord with the 
deliverances of the General Assembly and Synod. 

December 2, 1887. The Sabbath School collections on 
the first Sabbath of every month were ordered to be devoted 
to missions. 

December 28, 1887. The control of the church music 
was transferred by the trustees to the session, and a sessional 
committee on music appointed. 

November 21, 1887. The trustees were authorized to 
secure in a proper and legal manner the change of the 
corporate title to, " The First Presbyterian Church in Victor," 
which was duly effected. 

January, 1885. The Young People's Sabbath evening 
prayer meeting was established. 

February, 1886. The Young People's Christian Asso- 
ciation was organized, and the following year on February 
21, 1887, it was re-organized as the Young People's Society 
of Christian Endeavor. 

The Sabbath School Temperance Society of the 
Presbyterian church was organized by the primary depart- 
ment February 10, 1888. It involves three pledges, one 
known as the Liquor Pledge. A second, as the Tobacco 
Pledge. A third, as the Purity Pledge. In the two former, 
the obligation continues until the signer is twenty-five years 
old. 

The badge of the first is a blue ribbon, of the second, a 
red ribbon, of the third, a white ribbon. One who has signed 
all three pledges, has a red, white, and blue rosette as a 
badge. 

The Ladies' Missionary Society (Home and Foreign), 
was organized April, 1874. 

The Children's " Lend a Hand " Missionary Band was 
organized 1885, and is destined to become absorbed in 
the Sabbath School Band. 



CONFESSION AND COVENANT 

OF THE 

First Presbyterian Church, of Victor, N. Y. 

As Subscribed by Persons Joining its Communion. 

In God's House to-day and recognizing your obligations 
to Divine Grace, you profess to have embraced the offer of 
the gospel, and relying only upon Christ, do engage to be 
the Lord's. 

You believe the. Scriptures of the Old and New Testa- 
ments, to be the Word of God, and the only infallible rule 
of faith and practice, and you promise to make them your 
mle of faith and conduct. 

You believe in the Triune Jehovah, God the Father 
God the Son and God the Holy Ghost. 

You engage, with the assistance of Divine Grace, to 
continue in the maintenance of this faith, and the perform- 
ance of all the duties which flow therefrom; in the diligent 
use of the Divinely appointed means of Grace; in subjection 
to the constituted authorities of this Church; in the peace, 
love and mutual edification of the brethren ; also to be 
" zealous of good works," and not conformed to the world 
in its peculiar principles and practices. 



This old church has weathered its own peculiar but 
sturdy past. A veteran in Christian warfare, it has outrid- 
den many a storm, aid triumphed ag.iin and again over the 
organized opposition of Satan, 

God has given to its Christian effort of almost one 
hundred years, many precious souls as seals of its divine 
commission. To-day it is manned by strong and loyal 
Christian hearts, and above all God is with it. It stands the 
honoured beacon of evangelicism, linking a century gone, to 
the centuries that are and are to follow; its religion a 
cherished heritage, which will be revered and loved by its 
membership, from generation to generation, while the Sun 



66 



endures. May its sons and daughters be ever loyal and 
true, not only to the church, but to its essential feature, the 
precious Cross of Christ, with its far reaching import. 

Blest with a growing past, to have now reached its 
climax would forebode decline. That past is the strongest 
guarantee of an enduring future. 

The Loyalty to Christ of the early settlers of Victor 
would severely reflect upon that impiety of succeeding 
generations, that would permit Christ's house and cause to 
fall into neglect. A church so piously founded, and so 
zealously mantained in the past, is endeared as a heritage 
never to be despoiled. He who is unfaithful to God in his 
church relations, is unfaithful at heart; whose disloyalty and 
want of true Christian principle, is an undercurrent of 
curruption that will crop out in every department of life. 
No personal feelings, no disappointments, no affiliations 
elsewhere, will affect the religious devotion of every loyal 
heart to this church of their forefathers planting. 

It is God's house, the temple of God's worship, in the 
midst of its Christian homes. How it appeals to every 
noble Christian impulse and principle! Disrespect to God's 
worship here, and neglect of the respectable maintenance 
of His House, will be proof of the individual godlessness of 
its membership. Its worship, outward appearance, and 
support, mark the religious character of the homes it 
represents. In being loyal to Christ and this church the 
people will best advance their own and their children's 
interests. In disloyalty, contentions, and neglect, they will 
reap for themselves and their children, God's disfavor both 
spiritual and temporal. The success of a cjurch is not 
dependent upon any one man, but upon the piety and 
devotion of its people, and in that favor of God which is 
their life. It is not enough to be satisfied with a past, the 
future beckons on to grander achievement and more en- 
during success. 



APPENDIX. 



Documents Connected with the Early History of 
the Presbyterian Church. 

THE first document was presented in connection with 
sketch number four, and was a certified copy of the Act 
of Incorporation^ on record in the County Clerk's office at 
Canandaigua. 

The following document is the original contract between 
Eev. Reuben Parmele and the Society. A fragment of the 
paper is missing, and the part still remaining is much torn. 
It was found in an old trunk containing papers of Deacon 
Abijah Williams, and is now in the possession of Mr. Robert 
Bruce Moore. I will insert ( * - ) where a part of the 
document is missing : 

DOCUMENT. 

" WHEREAS, On the thirteenth day of September in the 
year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and ninety- 
eight, a number of persons in the northeast part of the town 
of Bloomfield, in the county of Ontario and State of New 
York, in pursuance of an act of the Legislature of the said 
State entitled "an Act to Enable Religious Denominations to 
Appoint Trustees, etc., passed the 6th day of April. 1784," 
and proceeded to form themselves into a religious society 
by the name and style of " The North Congregational 
Society in the town of Bloomfield" — — ; and 



68 



WHEREAS, The said society at their said meeting chose 
a committee to wait on the Reverend Reuben Parmele, and 
give him a call to come and preach the gospel to the said 
society, and to offer him certain terms specified in the vote 
of the said society as per record will appear - — — ; 

and 

Whereas, The said Mr. Parmele has notified to the 

said society his acceptance of the said specified terms, 

— — . Now, therefore 

This memorandum of an agreement made and 
concluded this thirteenth day of February, in the year of our 
Lord, one thousand seven hundred and ninety-nine, between 
the said Reuben Parmele of the one part, and Joseph Brace, 
Jr., Thomas Hawley and Jared Boughton, trustees of the 
said society, duly and legally appointed, of the other part, 
witnesseth — that the said Reuben Parmele being this day 
installed as pastor of the Church of Christ in the said 
society, is to do and perform, all and singular, the duties 
and functions pertaining to the office of a regular gospel 
minister in the said society, excepting and reserving to the 
said Mr. Parmele every fourth Sabbath during the first two 
years, to be computed from the twenty-first day of January 
(1799) * * * * * " * * (Quite a large 
fragment is here missing, being evidently broken out by 
folding.) * * * * * * 

" Shall give four months previous notice to the other 
party of such desire. In such case a council shall be called 
and a dissolution take place without any ceremony." 

In witness to the above agreement the parties to the 
above agreement have interchangeably set their hands and 
seals to two instruments of like tenor and date. 

Reuben Parmele. 



Witnesses 



\ Zadock Hunn. 
( John Rolph. 



[seal] 



Joseph Brace, 
Jared Boughton, 
Thos. Hawley, 

Trustees to said Society. 



Another document is the assessment roll, equitably 
apportioning to each pew holder his part of the society's 
indebtedness upon the completion of the old church on the 
hill. The document is valuable as showing: that the church 



6 9 



was built by the society and that the title of the proprietors 
was vested in their pews, which they owned and could 
dispose of at their pleasure, but not so as to divert the 
property from its legitimate use in connection with the 
Congregational Society. This document is also valuable as 
showing who were so connected with the Congregational 
Society at the time the assessment was made : 
THE DOCUMENT. 
An assessment of taxes on each proprietor of the 
meeting house in the North Congregational Society in 
Bloomfield with a view of making an equal and final payment 
for our meeting-house : 



NAMES. 

Bement, Ebenezer 
Beach, Thomas 
Brace, Reuben - 
Brace, Joseph - 
Boughton, Nath'l 
Berry, John and seat 

mate - - - - 
Boughton, Levi and seat 

mate - - - - 

and mates 

Brooks, Zerah - 
Boughton, Asahel 
Boughton, John 
Boughton, Abm' - 
Brace, John - - - 
Boughton, Deforest 
Brooks, Michael 
Brace, Elisha - 
Boughton, Seymour (2d) 2 76 
Bough ton, Claud i us V. 
Boughton, Jared 
Coan, Elisha - - 
Coton, Andrew - 
Dryer, Simeon - - 
Dryer. Rufus - - 
Dickinson, Nath'l O. 
Evarts. Isaac T. - - 
Griswold, Solomon - 
Hart, Jabez - - - - 



TAX. 


$5 18 


1 46 


2 51 


3 97 


1 72 


1 33 


7 39 


1 09 


90 


- 9i 


2 18 


5 48 


1 46 


■ 9i 


2 66 


■ 3 32 


2 y6 


1 33 


3 30 


2 64 


2 64 


- 1 72 


1 19 


3 42 


1 62 


1 46 


3 00 



Names. 



Tax. 



Hull, Jeremiah - - 


$2 51 


Hawley, Thomas - - 


516 


Hart, Harvey - - - 


1 88 


Hawley, Abner - - - 


3 33 


Haney, John - - - 


1 19 


Hathaway, Isaac - - 


2 64 


Ingersoll, Erastus - 


• 565 


Ingersoll, Elihu 


1 22 


Ingersoll, Thomas - 


■ 2 18 


Low, George - • - 


3 30 


Lobdell, Jacob - - - 


3 76 


Lusk, David 


4 H 


Moore, Asahel - - - 


1 46 


Moorehouse, Josiah - - 


6 74 


Marsh, Isaac - - - 


3 36 


Perry, Peter - - - 


1 72 


Perkins, Sam'l R. - - 


6 68 


Pardy, Silas - - 


2 00 


Parmele, Reuben - 


2 96 


Perkins, Joseph - 


-2 66 


Root, Asa - - - - 


3 33 


Root, Isaac - - - 


6 12 


Rowley, Joseph - - 


2 64 


Rowley, Jirah - - - 


3 36 


Smith, Nicholas - - 


2 44 


Scudder, Jesse, Eleazer 




Boughton - - 


3 56 


Stone, Ebenezer - - - 


1 62 


Seymour, Ira, Jr. - - 


1 19 



Tax. 


Names. 


Tax. 


$3 56 


Thrall, Joseph - - - 


$3 12 


2 00 


Turner, Nathl - - 


- 3 56 




Upton, James - - 


- 648 




Willmarth, Ezra - - 


- 3 32 


2 96 


Williams, Abijah - 


3 o5 


1 22 


Willmarth, Gersham 


- 2 00 


1 22 


Williams, Elisha - 


- 2 18 




Willard, Urana - - 


- 2 64 


3 30 


May, Charles - 


- I 22 



70 

Names. 
Scudder, Ezekiel - 
Jackson, William - 
Turner, Peter, paid by 

wheat, yet owe for 

wheat - 
Turner, Peter Jr., 
Turner, Lyman - 
Turner, Solomon, paid 

by P.Turner - 

I have not corrected the spelling for fear of destroying 
the likeness in this copy to the original document. This 
paper is also in the possession of Mr. R. R. Moore. 

There is no date upon the above mentioned roll, and I 
therefore add the copy of a deed given by John Berry to 
Abijah Williams at a later date than the assessment roll. 
John Berry owned a pew when the assessment roll 
was made out, and his name is on the roll. Subse- 
quently he sold his pew to Abijah Williams. This places 
the date of the assessment roll previous to that of this deed. 
The deed is dated May 5, 1813, and is as follows: 

DEED. 

Know all men by these presents, that I, John Berry? 
of Victor, in the county of Ontario, and State of New York, 
have sold, conveyed and confirmed unto Abijah Williams, 
of the same town, county and State aforesaid, the northwest 
corner pew in the body of the meeting-house known by the 
Proprietor's Meeting-house in Victor, or such part of said 
pew as I paid for towards it, together with all the privileges 
belonging thereunto, to warrant, secure and defend against 
the claims and demands of any person or persons whatso- 
ever ; in witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and 
seal this fifth day of May, in the year of our Lord one 
thousand eight hundred and thirteen. 

John Berry. [seal| 

Samuel Berry. 

It was this ownership of the pews, thus deeded from 
party to party, that subsequently as late as 1 828-1 830, led to 
the claim on the part of certain parties, who had acquired 
title to a few of the pews, to the right to use the meeting- 



7' 

house a part of the time for religious services foreign to 
the worship of the Congregational Society ; on the other 
hand the trustees and society refused to admit the claim and 
maintained such attitude until they had built and moved 
into their new church, which was dedicated in 1833. 

The old church was then taken possession of by the 
Universalists. It has been claimed that the property was 
duly purchased from the Presbyterians, but I am not aware 
that such transfer was actually made, or that any such deed 
was ever executed or recorded. 1 am imformed that the 
Presbyterians let the whole matter go by default. 



Among other documents are the Church Records, 
beginning with the first ecclesiastical council which met for 
the purpose of installing Rev. Reuben Parmele, Feb. 13, 
1799. These records are complete and interesting in their 
bearing upon the history of the church. 



There is also a plan of the pews of the old church, 
bearing the date April 7, 1809, subsequent to the building 
of the church. Another document connected with the 
history of the old church, is the deed of land given by 
Thomas Hawley to the proprietors, or pew-holders, of the 
church. The deed is given to those who owned pews at the 
time it was drawn. It bears as late a date as October 1, 1818 
showing that the promise of Mr. Hawley to deed the land 
was not fulfilled until a number of years after the church 
was built. This deed was not recorded until September 13, 
1825. 

There were names added to the deed between the date 
of execution and recording, due to new comers purchasing 
pews. 

The parties named in this deed, and their families, 
were attendants upon the Congregational church at the 
time, and most of their families were represented on the roll 
of church members. 



72 



DEED. 



"This indenture, made the first day of October, 1818. 
between Thomas Hawley, of the town of Victor, in the 
county of Ontario, and State of New York, of the first part, 
and Elihu Ingersoll, Jirah Rowley, Joseph Rowley, Thomas 
Ingersoll, David Lusk, James Upton, Dinah Brooks, Elisha 
Coan, Asahel Boughton. George Low, Lora Davis, the heirs 
of Joseph Thrall, deceased, Isaac Marsh, Isaac Root, 
Abraham Boughton, John Brace, DeForest Boughton, 
Nathaniel Turner, Ira Seymour, Jr., Gersham Wilmarth, 
Silas Pardy, the heirs of Elisha Brace, dead, Ezekiel Scudder, 
Joseph Perkins, Solomon Turner, Peter Perry, Ebenezer 
Bement, Erastus Ingersoll, the heirs of Nicholas Smith, 
deceased, Elisha Williams, Ezra Wilmarth, the heirs of 
Peter Turner, deceased, Timothy Williams, the heirs of 
Jesse Scudder, deceased, Thomas Beach, Enos Gillis, 
Samuel Gillis, Isaac Simmons, Reuben W. Brace, Asa 
Root, Jeremiah Hull, the heirs of Joseph Brace, deceased, 
Asahel Moore, Samuel R. Perkins, Jabez Felt, Nathaniel 
Boughton. Abraham Bronson, Abijah Williams, Thomas 
Hawley, Solomon Griswold, Abner Hawley, Jabez Hart, 
Harvey Hart, Joanna Marsh, William Jackson, Eleazer 
Boughton, Rufus Dryer, Claudius V. Boughton, the heirs 
of Seymour Boughton, deceased, the heirs of Seymour 
Boughton, Jr., deceased, Jacob Lobdell, Reuben Parmele, 
Andrew Colton, Asahel Lusk, Jared Boughton, Isaac 
Hathaway, Harvey Bement, Edwin Bement, Lucy Boughton, 
Jonathan Smith, Simeon Parks, Samuel Rawson, the heirs 
of Urana Willard, deceased, Nathaniel O. Dickinson, Silas 
Thayer, Manley Hawley, Erie Hawley, Alice Boughton, 
Harvey Boughton, Silas Barnes, and John Hughes, all of 
the county and State aforesaid, of the second part, wit- 
nesseth : The said party of the first part for and in 
consideration of the sum of sixteen dollars, to him in hand 
paid by the said party of the second part, the receipt 
whereof is hereby confessed and acknowledged, hath 
granted, bargained, sold, remised, released, aliened and 
confirmed, and by these presents doth grant, bargain, sell, 
remise, release, alien and confirm unto the said party of the 
second part and to theirs and assigns forever, all that certain 
piece or parcel of land situate in town of Victor aforesaid 
or township No. 1 1 in the 4th range of township, and bounded 
as follows, viz: Beginning at a maple stump in the 



73 

highway a few rods easterly from the now dwelling house of 
Thomas Beach ; thence running north jo° west four 
chains and seventy links to a stake; thence north 9 east 
four chains and fifty links to a stake ; thence south jj° 
east four chains and fifty links to a maple tree ; thence south 
nine degrees west, five chains and ten links to the place of 
beginning ; containing two acres and one rood of land, it 
being the plot of ground on which the meeting-house in said 
town of Victor stands ; together with all and singular the 
hereditaments and appurtenances thereto belonging or in 
any wise appertaining, and the reversion and reversions, 
remainder and remainders, rents, issues and profits thereof, 
and all the estate, right, title, interest, claim and demand, 
whatsoever, of the said party of the first part, either in law 
or equity of, in and to the above bargained premises, with 
the said heriditaments and appurtanences, to have and to 
hold the said premises above described ; to the said party 
of the second part, their heirs and assigns, being proprietors 
of said meeting-house. And the said party of the first part 
for himself, his heirs, executors, administrators, doth covenant, 
grant, bargain and agree to, and with the said party of the 
second part, their heirs and assigns, that at the time of the 
ensealing and delivery of these presents, he is well seized 
of the premises above conveyed, as of a good, sure, perfect, 
absolute and indefeasible estate of inheritance, in the law, 
in fee simple, and that the above bargained premises in the 
quiet and peaceable possession of the said party of the 
second part, his heirs and assigns, against all and every 
person or persons lawfully claiming or to claim the whole 
or any part thereof, he will forever warrant and defend, 
excepting the said party's of the first part legal share as a 
proprietor in the before described premises. In witness 
whereof the said party of the first part hath hereunto set 
his hand and seal, the day and year first above written. 

Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of William 
Bushnell. Thomas Hawley, [Seal.] 

William H. Harris. 

State of New York — Ontario County— ss. : Be it 
remembered that on the 10th day of October, 18 18, came 
before me, Jared Boughton, one of the commissioners 
appointed to take the acknowledgment of Deeds, etc., in and 
for said county, Thomas Hawley, and acknowledged the 
within instrument, to be his voluntary act and deed, and 



74 

that he signed sealed and delivered the same to and for the 
uses and purposes therein mentioned, and I, knowing the said 
Thomas Hawley, and that he is the person described in and 
who executed the said instrument, and having examined 
the same instrument, and finding therein no erasures nor 
any interlineations excepting the words of the first part 
between the second and third lines from the top of the last 
page, do allow the same to be recorded. 

Jared Boughton, 

Commissioner. 

A true copy of the original recorded June 13th, 1825, at 
4 o'clock, P. M. 

Rolph Lester, 
Deputy Clerk. 

State OF New York— Ontario County Clerk's office, 
Canandaigua, March 10th, 1856 — I, John I. Lyon, clerk of 
said county, do hereby certify that the foregoing is a true 
copy of an original deed, now on record in said office, in 
book 43, page 439, and having compared the same with said 
original do find it to be a true copy thereof and of the 
whole of said original. 

Given under my hand and seal of said county the day 
and year to this certificate above written. 

John I. Lyon, 
Clerk of said county. 
The names of the pew-holders at the time this deed was 
given are found in the deed. It will be seen that the follow- 
ing heirs represented their parents deceased, (these parents 
represented themselves on the tax list which is of much 
older date than this deed.) 

The heirs of Joseph Thrall. 
" " Elisha Brace. 
" " Nicholas Smith. 
" " " Peter Turner. 
" " " Jesse Scudder. 
" " " Joseph Brace. 

" " " Seymour Boughton. 

" " Urana Willard. 
" " " Seymour Boughton, Jr., (neither he nor 
his heirs are mentioned in the tax list,) 



75 

Dinah Brooks represents, in the deed, her husband, 
( Zerah) deceased, whose name appears upon the tax list. 

The following names that appear on the tax list, do 
not appear in the deed showing that their pews hav r e changed 
hands. 

John Berry sold out as per deed, to Abijah Williams, 
Levi Boughton, Michael Brooks, John Boughton, Ebenezer 
Stone, Peter Turner, Jr., Lyman Turner, Charles May, 
Simeon Dryer, Isaac T. Evarts, John Haney, Josiah More- 
house. 

The following names appear for the first time, in the 
deed: 

Lora Davis, Timothy Williams, Enos Gillis, Samuel 
Gillis, Isaac Simmons, Jabez Felt, Abraham Bronson, Joanna 
Marsh, Eleazer Boughton, Asahel Lusk, Harvey Bement, 
Edwin Bement, Lucy Boughton, Jonathan Smith, Simeon 
Parks, Samuel R. Raw r son, Silas Thayer, Manley Hawley, 
Erie Hawley, Alice Boughton, Harvey Boughton, Silas 
Barnes, John Hughes. 

• Some of these names that appear in the deed, but not 
on the tax list, undoubtedly represent their parents whose 
names are. on the tax list, and they dead when the deed was 
drawn. Others whose names appear for the first time in 
the deed, were new comers who had bought their pews 
subsequently to the date of the tax list. 

All this shows the usual changes going on in the buy- 
ing and selling, and occupancy of pews in every church. 



Change of Name. 

At a special term of the Supreme Court, held at the 
Court House, in the Village of Canandaigua, in and for the 
County of Ontario, N. Y., on the 19th day of May, A. D., 
1888. Present: Hon. Wm. H. Adams, Justice, Supreme 
Court, Ontario County. In the matter of the Application 
of the North-East Congregational Society, in the town of 
Bloomfield, in the County of Ontario and State of New 
York, also commonly known as the First Congregational 



76 

Society of the Town of Victor, for a change of name to the 
" First Presbyterian Church in Victor." An application 
having been made at this Special Term of the Supreme 
Court of the County of Ontario and State of New York, by 
the above petitioner herein, the North-East Congregational 
Society in the Town of Bloomfield, in the County of Ontario 
and State of New York, also commonly known as "The 
First Congregational Society of the Town of Victor," for 
an order of this Court authorizing it, the said petitioner, to 
assume a new corporate name. Now, on reading the 
petition, therefor herein duly verified on the 27th day of 
March, 1888, by Willis D. Newton, and heretofore filed in 
the office of the Clerk of the County of Ontario, on the 29th 
day of March, 1888, and it appearing and it being satis- 
factorily proven to this Court, therefrom and thereby — 

1st. That said petitioner is not a corporate body such 
as is- excepted and excluded from the provisions of Chapter 
322 of the Laws of 1870, and the various Legislative acts 
amendatory thereof or supplemental thereto, but is a 
corporate religious body, organized under and pursuant to 
the Laws of the State of New York, and is within the intent 
purpose and provisions of said Laws, and the amendatory 
and supplemental acts thereof and thereto . 

2d. That said Willis D. Newton, the person verifying 
said petition, is the chief officer of said corporation. 

3d. That such corporation, said petitioner, has no 
distinct office for the transaction of its busines other than 
such corporate business is legally and regularly transacted 
at the church property of said petitioner. 

4th. That the principal corporate property of said 
petitioner is situate at Victor in said County of Ontario and 
State of New York. 

5th. And it further appearing that this application is 
made in pursuance of a resolution of the Board of Trustees 
of said petitioner; and further, that such resolution was 
passed pursuant to and upon the request of, the membership 
of said body corporate, manifested and expressed at a 
regular annual meeting thereof, held at the church on the 
2 1st day of November, 1887. 

6th. And it being proven satisfactorily to this Court, 
by said verified petition and the papers therein referred to 
and thereto annexed, and therewith filed and presented, that 
the present corporate name of said petitioner, the North 
East Congregational Society, in the Town of Bloomfield, in 



77 

the County of Ontario and State of New York, by reason 
of the change of circumstances and surroundings in said 
petition particularly and fully set forth, has become a 
misnomer, and is misleading, incongruous and inconvenient, 
and worthless for the purpose for which it was originally 
assumed and accepted, and that its character and location 
will be more correctly and effectually designated by the 
change of its present corporate name to the proposed new- 
corporate name, the "First Presbyterian Church in Victor," 
and it further appearing to the satisfaction of the Court, 
that there is no other body, corporate or otherwise, in said 
Town of Victor, by such name, or understood to be the 
same as, or similar to, such new corporate name. 

7th. And this Court being satisfied by said verified 
petition that there is no reasonable objection to such cor- 
poration changing its corporate name, to said new corporate 
name. 

8th, And it appearing to the satisfaction of this Court, 
that notice of the time when, and place where, such appli- 
cation would be made, has been duly given by the publi- 
cation of a notice thereof once in each week for six weeks in 
the Ontario County Times, a newspaper published weekly 
at Canandaigua, Ontario County, N. Y., such County being 
the County in which said corporation is situate and has its 
corporate property and in which County the trustees thereof 
reside, and that such notice has been also published once 
in each week for six weeks in the Ontario County Times, 
a newspaper published in Canandaigua, Ontario County, N. 
Y., and being one of the newspapers within said County 
duly authorized to publish the Session Laws therein, having 
been heretofore duly designated for such purpose, as appears 
from the proof of such publication thereof, which said 
publication being hereby declared sufficient, and publication 
thereof in any other paper or papers being hereby dispensed 
with. 

Now, on reading such verified petition, and the papers 
therein referred to and thereto annexed, and on reading and 
filing the notice of the time when and place whSre, this 
application would be made, and on reading and filing the 
proof of the due publication thereof, and on motion of Mark 
T. Powell, of counsel for said petitioner, no one appearing 
in opposition thereto. 

It is ORDERED: That the prayer of the petitioner be, 
and the same is, hereby granted. 



7« 

It is FURTHER ORDERED: That the said petitioner, the 
said North-East Congregational Society in the Town of 
Bloomfield in the County of Ontario and State of New York 
be, and hereby is, authorized to change its said corporate 
name, and in place and stead thereof, to assume on the 25th 
day of June, 1888, and thereafter be known by and use, as 
its legal corporate name, the proposed new corporate name 
of, the " First Presbyterian Church in Victor." 

And it is FURTHER ORDERED : That this order be pub- 
lished once in'each week for four weeks prior to said 25th 
day of June 1888, in the Victor Herald, a weekly newspaper 
published at Victor, Ontario County, New York, which 
paper is hereby designated for such purpose. 

And it is FURTHER ORDERED: That a copy of this 
order shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of Sate of 
the State of New York, and that this order be filed in the 
office of the Clerk of the County of Ontario. 

(Endorsed.) 

Filed 21st May, 1888.— M. H. Smith, Clerk. 

State OF New York, Ontario County Clerk's Office, 
Canandaigua, N. Y., — I, Martin H. Smith, Clerk of the 
County of Ontario, of the County Court of said County, and 
and of the Supreme Court, both being Courts of Record, 
having a common seal, do hereby certify, that I have com- 
pared the annexed copy of order with the original on file 
and entered in this office, and that the same is a correct 
transcript therefrom and of the whole of said original. 

In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto affixed the seal of 
said County and Courts, this [L. S.] 21st day of 
May. A. D. 1888. 

M. H. SMITH,. 

Mark T. Poweell, Clerk. 

Att'y for Petitoner, Canandaigua, N. Y. 



Roll of Pastors and Time of Service. 



REV. Reuben Parmele organized the society, September 
13, 1798, and completed the organization and was 
installed its first pastor - Feb. 13, 1799, to May 5, 1812 
Rev. Philander Parmele, . May 5. 1812, to Dec. 28, 1814 

'25 
27 

31 
35 
38 
46 

49 
'51 
55 
56 
63 
65 
69 
73 
75 
77 

8a 



Ebenezer Raymond - - Nov. 10, '19, to April 6, 

Jabez Spicer, S. S.. - Jan. 1, '26, to Jan. 30, 

Daniel Johnson, - - Sept. 7, '28, to Dec. 29, 

Richard Kay, - - June-*-, '32, to Nov. 12, 

Jairus Wilcox - - Nov. 6, '36, to Jan. 14, 

Charles E. Furman, - - June 20, '38, to April — , 

Charles Mervvin, - - April 20, '46, to Aug. 7, 

C. Van H. Powell, - Jan. 6, '50, to March 2, 

Calvin Waterbury, - July 8, '51, to Aug. 15, 

Charles C. Carr, - - Jan. 7. 's6, to Oct. 20, 

Job Pierson, D. D., - - Dec. 15, '56, to Sept. 27, 

William H.Webb,D.D. - Dec. 6, '63, to Oct. 22, 

Gideon P.Nich'ols,D.D. - May — , '66, to Aug, 8, 

Henry T. Miller, - - June 1, '71, to June 1, 

William B. Marsh, - Dec, 7, '73- t0 Nov. 22, 

Robert Ennis, - - Feb. 12, '76, to Aug. 5, 

Thomas Earl Babb, - Feb. 3, '78, to June 3, 

Clarence W. Backus - July 1, "84, to 



80 



Roll of Deacons. 



Isaac Root, 
Abijah Williams, 
Simeon Parks, 
William Parmele, 
John Wells, 
Belden Seymour, 
Nathan Jenks, 
Marcus A. Norton, 
Samuel Tallmadge 
Albert Simonds, 
D. Henry Osborne, 
James F. Draper, M. D. 



May 31, 1804 to March 14, [816 

July 10, '12, died March— '40 

March 14, '16, to Nov. 27, '22 

Feb. 8, '27, to Oct. 1. '35 

- May 30, '28, to May 5, '44 

Oct. 4, '32, to March 8, '58 

Oct. 4, '32, to Nov. 13, '37 

Nov. 20, '37, died Nov. I, '70 

May 22, '44, died Apr. 7, '63 

March 8, '58, now in office 

April 7 '63, 

April 1 '88, 



Roll of Elders. 



William Parmele, - 
Alvah Dickinson, 
John Mosher, 
William Bushnell, - 
Waitsell Dickinson, 
Jasper W. Peet, 
Samuel Tallmadge, 



March 25, 1827, to Oct. 1, 1835 

March 25, '27, to Sept. 20, '32 

- Jan. 11, '29, to Mar. 12, '30 

Jan. 11. '29, to Sept. 20, '32 

March 7, '30, to Oct. 4, '35 

March 7, '30, to Sept. 20, '32 

Sept. 19, '30, to Nov. 13, '^y 



(After the adoption of Presbyterian government, 
March 8, 1858.) 



Samuel Tallmadge, 
Albert Simonds, 
George W. Farnham, 
D. Henry Osborne, 
Salmon Gorsline, 
Hiram Parks, 
Hiram Swezey, 



April 4, 1858, died April 7, 1863 

" still living and an elder 

- " " " to April 29, 1866 

' u " still living and an elder 

" " " to July 12, 1865 

April 4, '58, died Feb. 16, '76 

June 24, '60, to July ,22 '82 



John Brown 

James H. Reeve, - - - 
Darius L. Covill, - - - 
James F. Draper, M. D , - 
Stephen J. Tallmadge, - 
Stafford, S. Lusk, - - - 
William A. Higinbotham, 
C. Lewis Simonds, 



81 



Dec. 19, '66, to March 17, '67 
Oct. 2, '68, died Sept. 9, '81 
April 1 1, '75, to Jan. 28, 'yj 
April 11, '75, to June 4, '80 
May 10. '85, now in office 



R01.1. of Trustees. 



Jared Boughtcn, Sept. 13. 1798.) Trustees under original 
Joseph Brace Jr., ■ f act of incorporation. 

1 nomas Hawley, 



Abijah Williams, 
Ebenezer Bements, 
Erastus Ingersoll, 
Thomas Beach, M. D. 
Abraham Boughton, 



Trustees under re-incorporation, 
Dec. 2, 181 1, for the purpose of 
changing the title to the North 
East Congregational Society in 
town of Bloomfield, 



(The record between the above and 1836, is missing.) 



Date of first No. of 

election . terms 

serv'd 

I 



J. T. Hollister, 1836, 
Hiram Parks, '^7, 3 

Frederick, A. Hart, '38, 3 

(October 11, 1839 No. of 
trustees increased to 5.) 
Nathan Jenks, 1839, l 

Harmon VanVechten, '39 1 
Alvin Parks, '40, 2 

Melancthon Lewis, '40, 
Albert Simonds, '41 
Samuel Tallmadge '41 
Rufus Seymour, 42 
Abiram L. Peet, '42, 
Hiram Seymour, '43, 



William Moore, '43, 

Otis Dryer, '44, 

Jasper W. Peet, '44, 

Wm. P. Hawkins, '44, 

John Eckler, '44, 

Philo Parks, '45, 

Marcus A. Norton, '46, 

Peter Perry, '46, 

Thos. K. Embry, '46, 

Frederick Fox, '47, 

John Smith Jones, '47, 
D. Henry Osborne, '58, 

William Gullap, '68, 

Orrin S. Bacon, '71, 

Darius L. Covill, 'jt,. 



82 



David Clark, « 74, 

Edwin S. Norton, 'jy, 
Marvin A. Wilbur, '79, 
Albert B. Simonds, '79, 



John VanVechten, '80, 
Stafford S. Lusk, '84, 
Wm. B. Osborne' '84, 
Willis D. Newton, '87, 



The Board of Trustees in i! 
Willis D. Newton, President, 
Orrin S, Bacon, j John VanVechten, 

Marvin A. Wilbur, William B. Osborne, 

The Session in 1888. 
Rev. C. W. Backus, Moderator, 



Elders -Albert Simonds, 
D. Henry Osborn, 
Stephen J. Tallmadge. 



Stafford S. Lusk, 
William A. Higinbotham, 
C. Lewis Simonds. 



Deacons in 1888, 

Albert Simonds, 
D. Henry Osborne, James F. Draper, M. D. 



♦••£=- — 



o. 



Roll of Members from the Organization of the 

Church in 1799. Arranged according to 

date of admission, with the names of 

the Pastors under whom 

they united. 



United at the organization 
of the church February 13, 
1799, Rev. Reuben Par- 
MELE, pastor: 
Jabez Morehouse. 

Elizabeth Morehouse. 

wife of Jabez . 
Elisha Perkins. 
Mehitable Perkins. 

wife of Elisha. 

Abijah Williams. 

Mrs. Thomas Hawley. 

Jemima Brace, 
wife of Joseph. 

Samuel Boughton. 
Reuben Hart, M. D. 

1799 
Joseph Brace. 
Asa Hickox, Jr. 
Polly Hickox. 
Thomas Hawley. 



Benjamin Wilson. 
Deborah Perkins, 
Huldah Hart, 

wife of Dr. Reuben. 

Eunice Williams, 

wife of Abijah. 

iSOO 

Ira Seymour. 
Jerusha Seymour, 

wife of Ira. 

Joseph Rowley, 

By letter from Charlestown, Mass. 

Anna Rowley, 

wife of Joseph . 

IS02 

Laura Parmele, 

wife Rev. Reuben, 1. fr, Goshen, Ct. 

Peter Turner, 

by 1. fr. West Stockbridge Mass. 
Mindwell Turner, 

wife of Peter. 

Lucy Ketchum, 

wife of Joshua. 



8 4 



i3o 3 
Samuel Stone, 
Mrs. Samuel Stone, 
Isaac Root, 
Mary Root, 

Wife of Isaac, by letter from West 
Stockbridge. 

Laura Parmele, 

daughter of Rev. Reuben. 

Mrs. Samuel Boughton. 

1804 
Eleanor Boughton, 

by letter from Canaan. Conn. 
I805 

Mrs. Elisha Coan. 

by letter from West Stockbridge. 
1806 

Margaret Hawley, 

wife of Capt. Abner. 
1807 

Aaron Bailey, 
Mrs. Aaron Bailey. 

1808 
Jemima Hart, 

wife of Jabez. 

1809 

Esther Marsh, 
Elizabeth Rowley, 

wife of Jirah. 

l8lO 

Widow Gould. 

181 1 
Sibyl Rowley, 
Rhoda Turner, 

Melania Boughton, 

by letter from Providence R. I. 
Erastus Ingersoll, 
Rev. Abiel Parmele, 



Isaac Perkins, 
Roxey Ingersoll, 

wife of Thomas. 

Eliplia Beach. 

wife of Thomas Beach, M. D. 
Aunt Fally who organized the first 
Sabbath School. 

Mrs, Betsey Griswold, 

wife of Solomon. 

Susan Hall, 

Rev. Philander Parmele, 
May 5th, 1 8 12. 
1812 
Lydia West, 
Abigail Parmele, 

wife of Rev. Phil'r, 1 f r Killing-worth 

Selina Coan, 
Simeon Hart, 

by letter from Pompey 

Mrs. Simeon Hart. 
Lucretia Hart, 

their daughter. 

I8I3 

Timothy B. Applin, 

by letter from Cazenovia, N. Y. 

Anna Green, 

by letter from Sheldon . 

Samuel Boughton, 

by letter from Scipio. 

Lucy Boughton, 

wife of Samuel . 

Esther Wallingford, 

by letter from Waterford, N. Y. 

Gilbert Saxton, 

Polly (Mary) Morehouse, 

by letter from Manlius. 

Solomon Griswold, 
Mrs. Daniel Chapin, 

by letter from Cazenovia, N. Y. 

Simeon Boughton. 



85 



1814 

Betsey Boughton, 

wife of Claudius Victor. 

Simeon Parks, 

by letter from Seipio 

Abigail Parks, 

wife of Simeon. 

Daniel Chapin, 

by letter from Cazenovia 

James Campbell, 

by letter from Florida, N. Y. 

Mrs. Elizabeth Simmons, 

rec'd and bap'd with her household. 



Rev. Reuben Parmele in 
charge from Jan. I, i8i5,to 
Nov. 10, 1819. 

1815 
Sarah Beach, 

wife of Samuel, by 1 f r Camden, N. J 

Rhoda Macumber, 

by 1. fr. Richmond. 

Mary Hays. 
Persis Turner. 

1816 
John Grow, Jr. 
Mrs. John Grow, Jr. 
William Parmele, 
Lucy May, 
John Grow. Sr. 

by letter from Dansville, Vt. 

Mrs. John Grow, Sr. 
Hannah Voorhies, 

wife of George, from Charlestown. 

George Voorhies, 
Mary Hart, 

wife of Harvey. 

Theodosia Jackson, 
Eunice Boughton, 
Ansel Rowley, 
Frederick A. Hart, 



Sylvia Hart, 

witi' of Frederick A . 

Joseph Hosford, 
Jonathan Smith. 
Mrs. Jonathan Smith, 
Ansel Perkins, 
Betsey Perkins, 

wife of Ansel 

Lavina Rowley, 
Electa Bushnell. 

by 1. fr. Richland: wife of Barnet B. 

Deborah Grow, 
Abigal Wilmarth, 

by letter from Westford. 

Jotham J. Barnes, 
Lavina Barnes, 

wife of Jotham . 

Esther Barret, 

wife of Amasa. 

Lucretia Rowley, 
Mary Hosford, 
Catharine Lane, 
Charles Monford , 

by letter from B. Ridge, N.J. 

Artelicia Dryer, 
Sylvia Rowley, 
Robert Gillis, 

by letter from Argyle, N V 

Mrs. James Powell, 

from Clinton, NY. 

Amasa Barret, 
Apama Dickinson, 

wife of Nathaniel < » 
I8l7 

Abigail Wadkins, 

by letter from Cazenovia 

Anna Rowley, 

wife of Joseph, Jr. 
I8l8 

John Wells, 

by letter from Mavneh' 



86 



Reuben Smith, 

by letter from Cazenovia. 

Mrs. Reuben Smith, 
Mrs. Van tile, 

by letter from Salem. 

Mrs. Isaac Hathaway. 

1S19 
Mrs. Elizabeth Corey, 

by letter from Cazenovia. 

Jacob Lane, 

by letter from Charlestown. 

Nancy Wells, 

wife of John. 

Dinah Boughton, 

by letter from West Stockbridge . 

Ebenezer Parsons, 
Hannah Parsons, 

wife of Ebenezer, Genoa. 

Catharine Parmele, 
by letter from Phelps 

Rev. Ebenezer Raymond, 
from November 10, 1 8 19, to 
April 6, 1825. 

1820 

Mrs. Lydia Raymond. 

1821 

Mrs. Polly Brunson, 
by letter from Penfield 
Mrs. Robbins. 

1822 

Betsey Smith, 

by letter from Cazenovia. 

Ira Hart, 

by letter from Stockbridge. 
Michael Fredricks, 
Mrs. Jane Furgerson. 

1823 
Sally Beach, 
John Bushnell, 



Ruth Bushnell, 

wife of John . 

James Bushnell, 
Clarissa Bushnell, 
wife of James . 

1824 
Waitstell Dickinson r 
Catharine Dickinson 

wife of Waitstell. 
Hezekiah Ford, 
Hannah Ford, 

wife of Hezekiah. 

Hannah Ford, 

their daughter. 

Celestia N. Ford, 
Adelisa Crocker, 
Sibyl Bigford, 
Elizabeth Smith, 

(Mrs. Hilton). 

Polly Heron. 

1825 
Alvah Dickinson, 
Amanda Dickinson, 

wife of Alvah. 

Clarissa Peck, 

w. of Harry, by 1. fr. E. Hartford C . 

Abigail Horton, 
Phidelia Perkins, 
Ruth Delano. 

1826 

Rev. Jabez Spicer, S. S., 

from Jan. 1,1826, to Jan. 30, 

1827. 

Joanna Ingersoll, 
wife of Stephen. 

Rev. Reuben Parmele ex- 
ercising general supervis- 
ion from Feb. 1, 1827, to 
Sept. 7, 1828. 






87 



1827 
Mrs. Abigail Parmele, 

by letter from Phelps. 
1828 

John Mosher, 

by letter from Union Village, N. Y. 

William Grimes, 

by letter from Manchester. 

Mary Grimes, 

wife of William . 

.Seth C. Parmele, 
Harriet Parmele, 

wife of Seth . 

Sarah Mosher, 

wife of John. 

Almon Ford, 
Sinai Ford, 

wife of Almon. by 1 . f r . Portland, Me 

William Bushnell, 
Joseph Perkins, 
Jasper W. Peet. 
Ira Dickinson, 
Anna Dickinson, 

wife of Ira. 

Cindaiilla Jones, 

Rev. Daniel Johnson, pas- 
tor from Sept. 7, 1828. to 
December 29, 1831. 

Mary Weston, 

Mrs. Ann Decker. 
1829 

Apama Dickinson, 

Mrs Hiram Parks. 

Mrs. Persis Payne, 
Mrs. Laura Mosher, 
Mrs. Polly Sheldon. 

1830 
Mrs. Electa A. Peet, 
Josiah Tallmadge, 



Mrs. Josiah Tallmadge, 
Samuel Tallmadge, 
Mrs. Samuel Tallmadge, 
William J. Wells, 
Mary Ann Goodrich, 

wife of Benjamin D. 

Mary Hickox, 
Eunice Smith, 
Hannah Mosher, 

by letter from Clyde 

Mrs. Harriet Chaterden. 
Belden Seymour, 
Pierpont Seymour, 
Simeon Johnson i 
Mrs. Lois Peet. 
Mrs. Simeon Johnson, 
Rachel Bradley, 
Elizabeth Van Arnam. 

1831 
Mrs. Nellie Inman, 
Ephraim Johnson, 
Mrs. Oliver Peck, 
Samuel Johnson, 
Satira Dickinson, 
Cynthia Dickinson, 
Hannah Bortle, 
James M. Campbell, 
Mary Eve Campbell, 

wife of James. 
Mary Dickinson, 
Mrs. Jane Jenks, 
Mrs. Sylvia Williams, 
Electa Hubbell, 

Mrs. Albert Simonds. 

Mrs. Ann P. Walling, 
Mary M. Peet, 
Laura Mosher, 
Benjamin D. Goodrich, 



Rev. Bostic Perkins, 
Dr. Doroner, 

by letter from Palmyra, N. Y. 

Mrs. Clarissa Walker, 
Catharine Vanbergen, 
Catharine Dickinson, 
Eliza Dickinson, 
Mrs. Delano, 
Lorin Root, 
Sally Root, 

wife of Lorin. 

Parmelia Chadwick, 
Mary Johnson, 
Samuel Palmer, 
Polly Palmer, 

wife of Samuei. 

Lydia Turner. 

1832 

Rev. Reuben Parmele, and 
supplies, with the church 
from January I, 1832, to 
January 24, 1833. 

Rufus Seymour, 

Mrs. Rufus Seymour. 

Richard Butterfield, 

Charity Butterfield, 

wife of Richard. 

Marana Turner, 
Nathan Jenks, 
Orrin Olmstead, 
Mrs. Eunice Rawson, 
Luther Williams, 
Submit Grimes, 
Jerusha Palmer, 
Alvah Inman, 
Martha Ann Turner, 
Robinson Ormsby, 
Cornelia E. Northrup, 



Clarissa Ormsby, 

wife of Robinson, 

Mary L. Seymour. 

1333 

Rev. Richard Kay pastor 
from January 24, 1833 to 
November 12, 1835. 

Benjamin D. Turner, 

Julia Turner. 

Mrs. Lucy Pullen, 

Mrs. Ann Look, 

Asenath Turner, 

David Raymond, 

Laura Raymond, 

wife of David. 

Clarissa Raymond. 
Joshua Raymond, 
Sylvester Harris, 
John Turner, 
Theron Chadwick, 
Asa Root, 
Solomon Turner, 
Maria Dunning, 
Maria Chadwick, 
Lucina Root. 
Eunice Boughton. 
Harvey Hart, 
Mrs. Asa Root, 
Augusta Peet, 
Mary Ann Wallingford, 
Vashti Grimes, 
Miles Lowell, 
Marcus A. Norton, 
Margaret Norton, 

wife of Marcus A . 

Mrs. Margaret Wheeler, 
Henry Seymour, 



8 9 



Mary Seymour, 

wife of Henry. 

Olive Porter, 
Mariett Rawson, 

Mi's. Webster, Missionary to Bom- 
bay, India. 

Betsey Raymond, 
Trowbridge Benedict, 
Betsey Benedict, 

wffe of Trowbridge. 

Mrs Mary Ann Kay. 

1834 
Stephen Collier, 
Emeline Collier, 

wife of Stephen 

Mrs. Sophia Smith, 
Martha Seymour, 

wife of Belden. 

Mary Root, 
Mrs. Nancy Groff, 
Mary Parmele, 
Elizabeth Raymond, 
Mrs. Lucinda Dryer, 
Mary Dryer, 

Mrs. Peet. 

Caroline Moore, 
Julia Witham, 
John Delano, 
William Smith, 
Stephen Ingersoll, 
Isaac P. Hollister, 
Ellen Hollister, 

wife of Isaac P. 

Sarah Rapeljie, 

Mrs. Mindwell Delano. 

1835 
Samantha Raymond, 
Hiram Seymour. 
Cornelia Ellis, 



Mrs. Mary Hart, 
William R. Seymour, 

Hannah Snedaker, (Root) 

by letter from Ewing 
Israel Jacobs, 

by letter from Clyde. 

Mrs. Olive Colbraith. 

by letter from Palmyra 

Mrs. Sarah Embry, 

1836 
Mrs. Jeanette Vandenbergh, 
Mary Jane McCullough, 
Elizabeth McCullough, 
Rev. Jairus Wilcox Pastor 

from November 6, 1836, to 

January 14, 1838. 
Hiram Parks, 
Phebe Vandenbergh, 
Cynthia Himnan. 

1837 
Esther Wallingford, 

wife of Jonathan. 

Eunice Moore, 

Mrs. Samuel Bartlett. 

Esther Wallingford, 

daughter of Jonathan (Mrs. Ga 
lord Blair.) 

Jane Parks, 

Mrs. Van Rensselaer Griffin. 

Charlotte M. Pullen, 

Mrs. John Boug-hton, (Tinney) 

Harriet M. Jenks, 
Mrs. Dutcher. 

Mrs Marian B. Seymour, 

Deborah Boughton, 

Peter Vandenbergh, 

Albert Simonds, 

Squire G. Beers, 

Edward Hayes, 



9° 



Abigail Hayes, 

wife of Edward . 

Milton Nelson, 
Amy Nelson, 

wife of Milton . 

Harmon, Van Vechten, 
Eve Van Vechten, 

wife of Harmon. 

Wynant Vandenbergh, 
Sarah Vandenbergh, 

wife of Wynant . 

Philo Parks, 
Phebe Parks, 

wife of Philo. 

Avery T Farnham, 
Mrs. Lucian Moore, 
Angeline Moore, 

Mrs. Keith. 

Parmelia Ingersoll, 
Eunice Hart, 
Jane A. Decker, 

Mrs. James Sizer, 

Celia Thompson, 
Mrs. Betsey Boughton, 
Caroline Boughton, 

Mrs. William Gallup. 

Julia Norton, 
Lucia A. Tallmadge, 

Mrs. Beebe. 

Ann M. Snedaker, 
Julia M. Buell, 

Mrs. Walter B. Titus. 

Mary Ann Buell, 
George Eddy, 
Temperance H. Eddy, 

wife of George. 

Thomas Eddy, 
Thomas Flynn. 

1838 
Rev. Charles E. Furman, 
Pastor from June 20, 1838, 



to April — 1846, and was 
in charge of pulpit from 
the 1st, Sabbath in March 
of 1838. 
Mrs. Eliza Mayo, 
Mrs. Amelia Hummel, 
M. A. Wallingford. 

1839 
Mrs. Anna Bushnell, 

Mrs. Raymond, 

Rev. J. W. Wood, 

by letter from Hamilton, Canada . 

Zaccheus P. Gillette, 
Clarrington Mayo, 
Abel Fitch, 
Henrietta Fitch, 
Jonathan Wallingford, 
Gideon Shaw, 
Sarah Shaw, 
Stephen J. Tallmadge, 
Abigail Jane Tallmadge, 

Mrs. Pixley, (Shepherd,) 

Marcia Maria Tallmadge, 

Mrs. Rathfon. 

Sarah Ann Van Vechten, 

Mrs. Stephen J. Tallmadge, 

Rebecca Ann Van Vechten, 

Mrs. William Conover, 

Dow Fonda Vandenberg, 
Sarah Jane Vandenberg, 
Hiram Chadwick, 
Miranda M. Chadwick, 
Seneca Boughton, 
James Henry Young, 
Sarah Wells, 

Mrs. John S. Gillis, 

Sophia Hart, 
Martha Hart, 

Mrs. Robert Gillis. 



9i 



Betsey Riddle, 
Julia Foster Smalley, 
Cyrus B.Rawson, 
William Jones, 
Rachel Maria Peet, 
Mrs. Harriet Boughton, 
Eliza Boughton, 
Laura Maria Lovejoy, 
Alvan Parks, 
Martha Wood, 
John Smith, 
Elizabeth Smith, 
Henr}^ B. Jenks, 
Cyrus Jenks, 
H. E. J. Furman, 

wife of Rev. C. E. 

Catherine Jay, 
Benjamin Freeman, 
Sarah Maria Bement, 

Mrs. Squire Beers. 

Andrew J. Decker. 
Jane Lawrence, 

Mrs. Stephen Blood. 

Alphonzo Lawrence. 
Mrs. Parmelia Tallmadge, 
Mrs. Elizabeth Perkins. 
Catharine J. Gillis, 

wife of Enos. 

184O 

Jane Pullen, 

Mrs. Center Bushnell. 

Daniel Dryer, Sr. 
Jeannette VanVleek, 
Christiana West, 

wife of George. 

1 84I 

Rufus Seymour, 
Ruth Seymour, 

wife of Rufus. 



Delia Seymour, 

their daughter. 

Giles T. Arnold, 
Iris Arnold, 

wife of Giles T. 

Azuba Benton, 
John Pixlev, 

1842 
VanRensselaer Conover, 
Mary K. Snedaker, 
Reuben Mosher, 
John A. Gillis, 
Joshua Holtam, 
Isaac Hart, 
William Fuller, 
George N. West, 
Abiram L. Peet, 
Frederick Fox, 
Jane Fox, 

wife of Frederick. 
1843 

James VanVleek, 
Tunis Brizee, 
Maria Brizee, 
Philip H. Brizee, 
William Collins, 
Emily Collins, 
William Moore, 
Alma C. Moore, 
Elizabeth VanVleek, 
Mary VanVleek, 
Harriet E. Hawkins, 

Mrs. Wdliam Cole. 

William P. Hawkins, 
Abram Bramble, 
Walter VanVechten, 
Abner VanVleek, 
Charles Seymour, 
Augustus Root, 



9 2 



Eveline M. Vandenbergh, 
Abbie E. Furman, 

Mrs. Briggs. 

Henry Benson, 
Sally Benson, 
Emily Hubbell, 

Mrs. John Howard, 

Robert Bruce Moore, 
Thomas Turner, 
Harriet Newell Hinman, 
Otis Dryer, 
Augustus F. Hart, 
Didama Fitch, 
Frances C. Fitch, 
Harriet Robbins, 
Susan A. Hickox, 
Mary Boughton, 
Lovina A. Bushnell, 

Mrs. D. Henry Osborne. 

Simon H. Veeder, 
Polly Veeder, 
Sabria M. Root, 
Harriet Lacretia Hart, 
Lucy Ann Moore, 
Malvina Lucretia Hart, 
Elizabeth McLean, 
Elijah A. Webster, 
Noah Root, 
Susan Root, 
Gilbert M. Raymond, 
Giles S. Williams, 
Matilda Williams, 
Lucien R. Peet. 
Ann M. Smith, 
Minerva Wells. 
Frances A. Peet, 
Amanda Beers, 
Angeline Morris, 



Lydia Vandenbergh, 
Ezra M. Peet, 
John B. French, 
Sophia Leland, 
Eliza J. Benson, 
Emily M. Moore, 
Philena Dryer, 
Phebe Markham, 
George W. Clark, 
Mary J. Preston, 
Deborah Perkins, 
Ira Root, 
Asenath Root, 

wife of Ira. 

1844 

Enoch F. Hinman, 
John Eckler, 
Mary Eckler, 

wife of John. 

John D. Grow, 
Electa Grow, 

wife of John. 

Mrs. Nancy Dryer, 
Charles Curtis, 
Mary Curtis, 

wile of Charles. 

1845 

James Bristol, 
Lewis H. Fort, 
Eveline Fort, 
wife of Lewis. 
Esther Humphrey, 

wife of Rev. Mr. Stephens. 
1846 

Mrs. Sarah Heath. 



Rev. Charles M. Merwin, 
Pastor from April 20, 1846, 
to August 7, 1849. 



93 



Mrs. Sarah Raymond. 

1847 
Mrs. Jane M. Boughton, 

1848 
Mrs. Harriet B. Mayo, 
Mrs. Sarah Vandenbergh, 
Mrs. Mary Osborne, 
Mrs. Ann Osborne, 
D. Henry Osborne, 
Caroline Simonds, 

wife of Albert. 

I849 

J. W. Palmer, M. D. 
Mary Palmer, 

wife of Dr. J. W. 

Oliver Grow, 

Parmelia Grow, 

wife of Oliver 
Mary Jane Grow, 

Mrs. James Mills, Geneva. 

Isaac Perkins, 
Elizabeth Perkins, 

wife of Isaac . 
Mrs. Catharine Wells, 
Peter Perry, 
Cynthia Perry, 

wife of Peter. 

Mary Jenks, 

Mrs. Frederick Sines. 
1850 

Rev. C. Van H. Powell, S. 

S. from January 6, 1850, to 

March, 2, 185 1. 
Cornelius Van Every, 
Maria Van Every, 

wife of Cornelius. 

Cornelia A. VanEvery, 
Wynant VanEvery, 
Cornelius C. VanEvery, 



Mrs. Susan Church, 
Walter B. Titus. 
1851 
Rev. Calvin Waterbury, 

Pastor from July 8, 1851, to 

August 15, 1855. 
Priscilla Waterbury, 

wife of Rev. Calvin. 

Charlotte B. Seymour, 

Mrs. Day, 

Samuel S. Spring. 

1852 
Emeline Parks, 

Mrs. Freeman. 

Salmen Gorsline, 
Mrs. Salmen Gorsline, 
Mrs. Lucy Hart, 
Ambrose C. Ford, 
Elizabeth W. Ford, 

wife of Ambrose 

1853 

Mrs. Maria Bement, 
Amelia D. Norton, 

Mrs Booth . 

Mary Ann Cockran, 
Edwin Parks, 
Elizabeth M. Beers, 

Mrs. Adrian Ford. 

Susan McCullough, 
Joseph Phipps, 
John Rollinson, 
Sarah E. Salter, 

Mrs. George Bliss. 

Mary Ann Salter, 
Sarah A. Jenks, 
Mrs. Dorcas Farnham, 
Avery T. Farnham, 
Thomas Grow, 
Mrs. Ruth Adams, 



94 



Hannah Adams, 

Mrs. Me Huron. 

Maria Parks, 

Mrs. Susan Parks, 

Mrs. Louisa M. Heazlet, 

James Heazlet, 

Alfred Curtis, 

Phebe S. Curtis, 

wife of Alfred, by 1. fr. Ballston 
Cciilrc, N. Y. 

Isaac Carey, 
Marcia Mayo, 
Eliza Parks, 

Mrs. Buckland, 

Mrs. Mercy Power. 

1854 
Mrs. Mary Farnham, 
George W. Farnham, 
Margaret F. Farnham, 
Harriet S. Farnham, 

Mrs. Edward Boughton. 

Helen Hubbard, 

Mrs. Robert Martin. 

Marietta Parks, 

Mrs. Dr. Silliman. 

Mary Parks. 

1855-56 

Rev. Job Pierson, D. D., 
Pastor from December 15, 
1856 to September 27, 1863. 
1857 

Mrs. Nancy Wilcox, 

Ann M. Wilcox, 

Mrs. Caroline E. Smith, 

Mrs. Mary Bristol. 



became the ■' First Presby- 
terian Church of Victor, N. 
Y.," which is its present 
constitution. 



February 24, 1858, the 
church changed its form of 
government and name, and 



1858 
Mrs. David Farnham, 
David Clark, 
Sophia Clark, 

wife of David, by 1. fr. Parma 

Mrs. Olive Deitrich, 
Mrs. Maria Van Ness. 

by letter from Perinton . 

i8S9 
Mrs. Emeline Lewis, 

by 1. fr. West Stockbridge, Mass. 

Mrs. Temperance Lewis, 

by letter from Rochester. 

Mrs. Helen P. Seymour, 
Mrs. Celia Norton, 

by letter from East Bloomfleld, 

Mrs. Anna Bushnell, 

by letter from Elmira. 

Rachael W. Pierson, 

Wife of Rev. Job, 1. fr. Pittsford. 
Hiram Swezey, 

by letter from Newport, N. Y, 

Mary Swezey, 

wife of Hiram. 

i860 

John H. Levet, 
Emma M. Levet, 

wife of John, 1 . fr Rochester 

George H. Robb, 
Catharine Robb, 

wife of Geo. both 1 fr Broadalbin X Y 

Elizabeth Norton, 

wife of Edwin S. 
I86l 

Julia Farr, 
Joanna Camp, 

by letter from Jamaica, L.I. 



95 



Joseph Bennet, 
Helen Peet, 
Elizabeth Palmer, 
Hannah Hartman, 

by letter from Perinton . 

William H. Cline, 
Emily Cline, 

wife of Win . H . 

Margaret A. Farnham, 
Rodney Dexter, 

Cordelia E. Dexter, 
wife of Rodney. 

Mrs. Frances S. Boughton, 

by 1. fr. East Bloomfield. 

Mary Jarvis, 

by letter from Jamaica, L. I. 
1862 

D Henry Palmer, 

byl.fr. Rochester, (Rev. Dr. Palmer 
of Penn Yan . ) 

Darius L. Covill, 

by letter from Lima. 

Mrs. Catharine M. Longyear. 

1. fr. Pittsford, wife of James. 

Sairjuel W. Osborn, 
Harriet E. Osborn, 
Mary Osborn, 
Ann Wells, 
Mrs. Sarah M. Sharp, 

wife of Cholatte Sharp . 

Mrs. Eleanor Ferguson, 
Mrs. Ann Covill, 
Mrs. Lucy Ann Clapper, 
Charlotte E. Tallmadge, 

Mrs. A 15. Rowley. 

Margaret Gillis, 

wife of J A . 

Gertie Van Hoosen, 

by 1. fr. Muytield, N. Y. 

Marietta Bowerman, 

wile of Gilford. 



1863 

Mrs. Cassia Day, 

by letter from Rochester. 

Mrs. Nancy Bowers, 
Charlotte Parks, 

Mrs. R. Reed. 



Rev. Wm. H. Webb, Pastor, 
from December 6, 1863 to 
October 22, 1865. 

Mrs. Sylvina Peck Walling. 
1864 

Isaac B. Kniffen, 

Tamar Ann Kniffen, 
wife of Isaac B . 

Elizabeth Webb, 

wife < )f Rev . Wm . H. by 1 . fr Niag- 
ara City, N . Y. 

Minnie Parks, 

Mrs. A.J. Lane. 

Alice D. Lusk, 

wife of Stafford S.. by 1. fr. East 
Bloomfield. 

Mrs. Sarah A. Rollinson, 
John O. Palmer, 

by 1. fr. Auburn, N. Y. 

John Brown, 
Eveline Brown, 

wife of John. 

Juliette Brown, 

allbyl.fr. Rose, N. Y. 

Mrs. Ann Warren. 
Mrs. Hortense A. Wilder. 
Mrs. Jeanette E. Rowley, 
Mrs. Lydia A. Gillett. 
1 866 
Church under supplies un- 
til November 7, 1866. 
Mrs. O. J. Woodward, 

Mrs. Hannah E. Bement, 
by 1. fr. Palmyra, V V. 



9 6 



Rev. Gideon P. Nichols, 
D. D., Pastor from May, 
1866, to August 8, 1869. 

Nathaniel Phillips, 

Emily Phillips, 

wife of Nathaniel, by 1. fr. Clarkson 
N. Y. 

Mrs. Mary Boltwood, 
Abbie Parks. 

1867 
Eliza Dryer, 

Mrs. Edward Brown 

Maria Clark, 

Mrs. George Sidway. 

Sophia Clark, 
Elvira Vanderbergh, 

wife of John. 

Irene Gilbert, 
Myra Copeland, 
Caroline West, 

Mrs. William Green. 

James H. Reeve. 
Lydia Reeve, 

wife of James H. bvl. fr. Jamaica, 
L. I. 

Mrs. Mary E. Copeland. 

by 1. fr. Addison, N. Y. 

Edward Copeland. 

1868 
Mrs. Rachel Moore, 

wife of Robert. 
William Gallup, 
Orrin S. Bacon, 
Harriet E. Bacon, 

wife of Orrin S. 

Margaret Ransom, 
John H. Ransom, 
Mrs. Mary Wheeler, 
Elizabeth Norton, 

wife of Walter D . 

Walter D. Norton, 



Laura Parks, 

Ella Parks, 

Ella H. Harrington, 

Mrs. Frank J. Heath. 

Mary Conover. 

Mrs. Sidell. 

Emma Rawson, 
Cora Wilder, 
George Randall, 
William B. Osborne, 
James Longyear^ 
Mrs. Anna Humphrey, 

by letter from Brooklyn, N, Y. 

Charles McKallar, 
Delia McKallar, 

wife of Charles. 
Mrs. Jane Howell, 

by letter from Chili. 

Ezra M. Peet, 
Helen B. Peet, 

wife of Ezra M. 

John VanVechten, 
Edwin S. Norton, 
A. Burton Simonds, 
George Frederick, 
John Vandenbergh,. 
Mrs. Mary VanCott, 
Mary Clark, 

Mrs. Charles VanVechten. 

Hattie Peet, 

Mrs. Dinslow Gould. 

Carrie Beach, 
John Potter, 
William W. Gillis, 
Julia F. Simmon, 

by letter from Cold water, Mich. 

Hannah VanVechten, 

wife of John, 

Augusta Norton, 

wife of E. S. 



97 



Nellie Simonds, 

wife of A. B. 

Alida Fredericks, 

wife of George. 

Charlotte Fredericks, 

wife of Nicholas. 
Julietta Adams, 
Elizabeth Conover, 

wife of John. 

Mrs. Ellen Brocklebank, 
Mary J. Simonds, 

Mrs. Gilbert Turner. 

Alice Parks, 
Augusta Wilder, 
Sophia Moul, 
Mrs. Agnes Decker, 
Carrie Upton, 

Mrs. McCarthy. 

Bell Woodward, 
Sibly Bell, 
Mary Moore, 

in mission work, Chicago, 111 

Mrs. Jane Bell, 

Mrs. Henry VanVoorhiee 

Julia Gillis, 
Helen Gillis, 
Mrs. Eliza Brown, 

wife of Henry. 

1869 

James C. Wisner, 

by 1. fr. Lyons, NY. 

Mrs. James C. Wisner. 

by letter from Lyons, N . Y 

Rev. Clark B. Gillett, 
Charles K. Humphrey, 
Robert Ranney, 

by letter from Ireland 

Peggy Ranney, 

wife of Robert. 

Mary Ranney, 
Mrs. Phebe West, 

wife of Winslow. 



Miss Frank Noble. 

Church under supplies from 
August 8, 1869, to June 1, '71 . 
William Green. 

1870 
Thomas Gallup, 

by letter from Albion. 

Mrs. Mary J. Munson, 
Emma J. Munson, 

both by 1. from Titusville, Pa 
187I 

Mrs. Sarah M. Powell, 

by letter from Joliet, 111. 

Dinslow M. Gould. 



Rev. Henry T. Miller, 
Pastor from June 1, 1871, 
to June 1, 1873, 

Anna Peet, 

Mrs. Henry Boughton, 

Mrs. McMurdy, 
Charles Shaw, 
E. Shaw, 

wife of Charles. 

Carrie Lobdell, 

Mrs Sale. ' 

Levi N. Beebe, 
Mrs. L. N. Beebe, 

both by letter fr. West Bloomfield. 

Jennie K. Miller, 

wife of Rev. Henry T. 
1872 

Mrs. Esther Benedict, 

by letter from Perinton. 

Charlotte Lovejoy, 

wife of Edward. 

Catharine A. Norton, 

wife of John. 

Catharine J. Gillis, 

Mrs. Frank Gallup. 

Elizabeth Boughton, 
Mrs. James Va il- 



9 8 



Cora Osborne, 
Lillian Bacon, 
Alice Lever., 
Julia Lewis, 

Mrs. Moore. 

Lena Norton, 
Daniel Wilder, 
Anna A. Covill, 

w. of Darius L. by 1. fr. Canandaigua 

Carrie L. Dryer, 

Mrs. Mary Ann Wilder, 

by letter from Brockport. 

Clarissa Bostwick, 

by letter from Palmyra. 

James F. Draper, M. D. 
Amelia Townsend, 

wife of Doctor Townsend. 

Mrs. Catharine E. Risely, 

Mrs. Stephen J . Tallmadge . 

Delia VanNess, 

w. of Cassius C.l. fr. Woodstock, N. Y. 

Mrs. Betsey Dibble, 
Emeline Dibble, 

by letter from East Bloomfleld. 
1873 

Anna Swezey, 

Mrs. Concklin. 

Cora Jane Swezey, 
Celia Christopher, 

Mrs George T. Ewers 



Rev. William B. Marsh, 
Pastor from December 7, 
1873, to November 22, 

1875. 

1874 
Joseph Waghorne, 

Rachel Waghorne, 

wife of Joseph . 
Mrs. E. A. Marsh, 

wife of Rev. "William B. 



Mary Goodnow, 

wife of Truman. 

Jennie Thorne, 

by letter from Rochester, N.Y. 

Mrs. Helen Beach, 

by letter from East Bloomfleld, (Mrs. 
Joseph P. Hathaway.) 

Anna Dunlap, 
Edwin D. Hoyt, 
Adelia E. Hoyt, 

wife of Edwin D. by 1. fr. Mendon, 
1875 

Mrs. Elizebeth B. Tracy, 

by letter from Ireland . 
1876 

Rev. Robert Ennis, Pastor 
from February 12, 1876, to 
August 5, 1877. 

William McMurdy. 

Mary Painton, 

Ida Longyear, 

Mrs. Charles Ketchum. 

Henry R. Robbins, 
Anna Robbins, 

by letter from Knoxboro, N Y 

Mary A. Camp, 

Mrs. Charles Brown . 

Emily M. Levet, 
Josephine C. Brizee, 
Myrtie May Thompson, 
Hattie Moore, 
Sarah Ann Brizee, 

Avlfe of Benjamin. 
1877 

Mary Force, 

wife of Charles. 
Elder, John Kilbourn. 

by 1. fr. Knoxboro, N. Y, 

Catharine Kilbourn, 

wife of John. 

Mrs. Lillian Moore, 

by 1. fr. Battle Creek Mich. 



99 



1878 

Rev. Thomas E. Babb, 
Pastor from February 3, 
1878, to June 3, 1883. 

Carrie Osborne, 

Mrs. Mark T. Powell. 

Mrs. Marietta Sizer, 
Ida Conover, 

Mrs- George Shanks. 

Harriet S. Gillis, 

wife of William W. 

Daniel Wilder, 
Mary Wilder, 

wife of Daniel, byl. fr. Webster. 
Mary Ann Draper, 

wife of Dr. James F. 

Mrs. Babb, 

wife of Rev. Thomas E. by 1. fr. 
Oxford, Mass. 

1879 

Clarence P. Kilmer, 

by 1. fr. Ohio. 



George F. Swezey, 
William B. Gallup, 
George M. Shanks, 
James Haslip, 
Mrs. Fanny Haslip, 

by 1. fr. Parma Centre 

Mrs. Maggie McGee. 
Julia Adams, 

witV- of Freeman, 

Elizabeth Timmerman, 
wife of Benjamin. 

I88l 
James G. Vail, 

by 1. fr. .Geneva. 

Laura McD. Osborne, 

wife of Win. B. byl. fr. Rochester 

. 1882 
Bell Norton, 

Mrs Frank Hopkins 



Mrs. Laura Sibbits. 

1883 
Albert S. Bacon, 

Minister at Oneida Castle. 

Mrs. Sabra Covill. 



The following names are 
found on the church roll 
without date of admission. 

Rachael Ball, 

wife of Dr. William. 
Eliza Root, 
Lucinda Norton. 
1884 
Rev. Clarnce W. Backus, 

Pastor from July 1, 1884 to 



Anna B. Higinbotham, 

wife of W. A. by 1 fr. E. Bioomfield. 

Susan W. Backus. 

wife of Rev. C. W. byl. fr. Prince-' 
town . 

Ellen Wilbur, 

Mrs. Tony Moffit. byl. fr Rose. 

Mrs. Elizabeth Wilbur, 

by letter fr. Rose. 
Cora French, 
Minnie Bacon, 

wife of Orrin S. Jr. 

Carrie E. Phillips, 
Nellie Longyear, 

Mrs. L. H. Stewart. 

Alice E. Moore, 

Mrs. Gardner Thomas. 

Charles A. Moore, 
Gardner G. Thomas, 
Mark T. Powell, 
Mrs. Cora J. Phillips, 

by 1. fr. East Mendon 
Clara Benson, 
Marian Estclla Yandenberg, 



IOO 



1885 

Mercy E. Covill. 

wife of A. L. byl.fr. E. Bloomfleld. 

Georgia McVean, 

wife of David A by 1. i'r,Scottsville 
Ziba C. Curtice, 

Anna Day Curtice, 

wife of Ziba C both by 1. fr. Webster. 

Marvin A. Wilbur, 
byl. fr. Rose. 

Lizzie S. Bacon, 
Jennie O. Bacon, 
Nellie J. Heath. 
Lousia Schroth, 
Cora D. Timmerman. 

Mrs. A. N. Holcomb. 

Cora E. Wheeler, 
Grace L. Phillips, 

Mrs. John S. Boughton. 

Miranda C. Hill, 

wife of William . 

Cynthia S. Webster, 

wife of Otis. 

Jessie M. Simonds, 

wife of George. 

William A. Higinbotham, 
Harriet B. Tiffany, 
Minnie B. Tiffany, 
Fannie L. Timmerman, 
Viola G. Adams. 
Cora E. Boughton, 
Nellie Pestol, 
Alice Pestol, 
Viola Farnsworth, 
Cola L. Gillis, 
C. Lewis Simonds, 
Bertha L. Simonds, 

wife of C Lewis, 

Z. Gertrude Wisner, 

wife of Ralph S. 

George Simonds, 



George D. Sidway, 

Agnes H. Levet, 

wife of Oliver. 
William Conover, 
Milton P. Cornford, 
Eugene A. Timmerman, 
Stafford S. Lusk, 
Amelia Norton, 

Rachel Vandenbergh, 

wife of Dow . 
Alfred B. Levet, 
Benjamin F. Timmerman, 
Charles A. Phillips. 

Irene Green, 

wife of Baldwin, 

Emma I. Green. 
Mrs. Charles Bowerman. 

Nettie VanVechten. 

Ella I. Peck, 

Mary S. Lane, 
wife of Albert . 

Celestine I. Boltwood, 
wife of Emmet. 

Emmet Boltwood, 
Agnes Bell West, 
William B. Moore, 
Freeman E. Adams, 
Frank Ashley, 
Rose Ellen Underwood, 
Jane Howland, 

wife of Wilbur. 
Maggie Bennet, 

wife of Amos J. by 1 fr. Prlneetown. 
Milo Freeman Webster, 
Ralph S. Wisner, 
1886 

Harriet Bement, 
wife of Henry . 

Ida M. Wilbur, 

wife of Marvin A 



IOI 



Anna E. Backus, 
Jennie M. Sidell, 
Albert E. Sale, 
Adelia M. Sale, 

wife oi Albert E. 
Emma Brusie, 
Frank A. Hopkins, 
Jennie E. Newton, 

wife oi : Willis D. 

Mary L. Jones, 

wife of Asa , 
Susie Pimm, 

Mr*, rhilds 
Harry Pimm, 
Emma A. Pox. 

wife ot Frederick. 
Wilbur C. Howland, Jr. 
George Peifer, 
Minnie M. Rankin. 

Eva Smith Phillips, 

wife of Nathaniel, by 1. fr. Rochester. 

188/ 

Anna E. Jacobs, 

George Warren, 

Jennie Webster Gallup, 

wife of W111 B . by 1. fr. Geneseo. 
Flora Craft. 
Kittie Grinnell, 
Aaron N. Longyear, 
Charles Longyear, 
Sadie McVean. 
John Rupprecht, 
George H. Frederick, 
Minnie J. Frederick, 
Elida Faulkner, 
Minnie A. Miller, 
Ella M. Brown. 
Cassius C. Van Ness, 



Fred W. Good now, 
Willie J. Stafford. 
Oscar Longyear, 
Minnie A. Longyear, 

wile of Oscar. 

Charles B. Morgan, 

Chloe L. Payne, 

David A. McVean, 

John C O'Brien, 

Mary L. Draper. 

Jennie Stafford, 

Milton Stafford, 

Catharine A. Stafford, 
wife of Milton. 

Clarence Brusie, 

Charles Bowerman, 

Charles Judevine, 

Francis Judevine, 
wife of Charles 

Albert Lane, 

Mattie A. Bowerman, 

Martha L. Bowerman 

Florence Bowerman, 

D. Stuart McVean, 

Mrs. Eusebie Eighme. 

Will J. Bloodgood, 

Hattie L. Bloodgood, 
wife of WillJ. 

George H. French, 

Delia A. French, 
wif e of George . 

Henry Bement, 

Marcus G. Doyle, 

Chester S. Gilman, 

Frances Bowers, 

Willis D. Newton. 
byl. fr. Manchester, NY 



102 



i888 
Alice Isabel Reid, 

Mary Stanton Shaw 

wile of Gideon. 
Libbie C. Moore, 

wife of Charles A. 
Julia A. Preston, 

wife of Edward. 



Herman Baldwin Green, 

Ida Emily Green, 

wife of Herman B. 
Alfred D. Smith, 
Cora B. Smith, 

wife of Alfred D 






ID. 



THE ROLL OF SABBATH-SCHOOL 
MEMBERSHIP, JANUARY, 1888. 



Board of Government, 



THE SESSION. 



Rev. C. W. Backus, Moderator. 
Elders. — Albert Simonds, D. Henry Osborne, Stafford 
S. Lusk, Stephen J. Tallmadge, William A. Higinbotham, 
C Lewis Simonds. 



OFFICERS. 

The Pastor, ex-officio, General Superintendent. 
Charles A. Moore, Assistant Superintendent, in charge 
of Senior Department. 

William B. Gallup, Treasurer. 

Harry Pinne, Secretary. 

Milton Cornford, Librarian. 

William B. Moore, Assistant Librarian. 

Miss Sadie McVean, Missionary Treasurer. 



SENIOR DEPARTMENT. 

Elder D. Henry Osborne 's. Class. 

Mrs. Albert Simonds, Mrs, S. J. Tallmadge. 

" George Clapper, " Delia MacKallar, 

" Sarah Sharp, " Otis Webster, 



104 

Mrs. John S. Gillis, Mrs. Porter Rawson, 

" Sabra Covill, " John VanVechten, 

" James Ransom, " George West. 

James Sizer, " Dow Vandenbergh, 

D. H. (Osborne, " William Conover, 

Emma Levet, " Henry Bement, 

" Henry H. Brown, " George Curtice. 
" John Vandenbergh, 



Mrs. Will iaiu Gallup s Class. ' 

Mrs. Benjamin Timmerman, Mrs. William Hill, 

" Edward Lovejoy, " Edward Boughton, 

" James F. Draper, " John Conover, 

" 0. S. Bacon, Sr., " Frank Heath, 

Asa Jones, " Edward Brown, 

Edward Norton, " John Hotaling, 

" George Sidway, " John McCarthy. 

" Stafford S. Lusk, " Wilbur Howland, 

Nathaniel Phillips, " Bruce Moore, 

Milton Stafford, " Charles VanVechten, 

" Charles Judevine, Miss Augusta Wilder, 

" Daniel Barnet, " Sophia Clark. 
" Gifford Bowerman, 



Elder Stephen J. lalliuadges, Class. 

James F. Draper, M. D., Mr. Nathaniel Phillips, 
Mr. Edward Norton, " James Longyear, 

" Walter Norton, " John Van Vechten, 

" Bruce Moore, " Benjamin Timmerman, 

'• Otis Webster, " Dow Vandenbergh, 

" William Conover, " John Vandenbergh, 

" Hart Boughton, " Cassius C. Van Ness, 

" John O'Brien, " M ilton Stafford, 

George Sidway, " Frances Bowers, 

" Wm. W. Gillis, " Charles Moore. 



io5 



Mr. Mar vu> A. 

Mr. William Green, 

" George Shanks, 

" Ziba C. Curtice, 

" Emmet Boltwood, 

" William B. Osborne, 

'• Nicholas Fredericks, 

'• Freeman Adams, 

•' Frank Gallup, 

" Edward Winans, 

" Edgar Preston, 

" Fred Cooley, 



Wilbur's Class. 

Mr. George Frederick, 
James Ransom, 
George Curtice, 
Hopper Chase, 
Ralph Wisner, 
Willis D. Newton, 
Clarence Brusic, 
Albert Lane, 
Daniel Barnet, 
Herman Green, 
Alfred Smith. 



Elder William A. Higinbothams Class. 



Mrs. William Green, 
Freeman Adams, 
Benjamin Brizee, 
" Emma Winans, 

Mary Lane, 
" William. W. Gillis, 
" Charles Force, 
" Edward Preston, 
" Leslie Loomis, 
" Willis D. Newton, 
" Ziba C. Curtice, 
" Marvin Wilbur, 
" Reese Reed, 
" James Vail, 
" A. B. Rowley. 
Miss Emma Rawson 



Miss Lena Norton, 

" Cora Wheeler, 

" Miller, 

Mrs. Emmet Boltwood, 

" Amos J. Bennet, 

" Wm. A. Higinbotham, 

" Fred Cooley, 

" Mary Turner, 

" Hattie Bloodgood, 

" Oliver Levet, 

" Ida Bement, 

" Herman Green, 
Miss Viola F"arnsworth, 
" Emma Brusie, ♦ 
Mrs. A. J. Lane. 



lildcr Stafford S. Lusk's, Class. 



Mr. Frank Hopkins, 
" Oscar Longyear, 
" Alexander P. Gillis, 



Mr. John Boughton, 
" Wilbur Howland, 
'• Charles Bowe.rman, 



io6 



Mr. George Frederick, Jr. 
Charles Longyear, 
Edward Tim merman, 
Albert Sale, 
Charles Morgan, 
George Bement, 
C. Lewis Simonds, 
George Ransom, 
George Hill, 



Mr. George Simonds, 
Milo Webster, 
Frank Henry, 
Charles Boughton, 
Ray Ransom, 
Aaron Longyear, 
Fred Goodnow, 
William Bloodgood, 
George Peifer. 



Mr. [civics G. VaiVs Class. 



Mrs. C. Lewis Simonds, 

" Charles Bowerman, 

" Oscar Longyear.. 

" Wilber Howland, 

" Herman Boughton, 

" Jennie Gallup, 

" George Shanks, 

" George Ewers, 

" William B. Gallup, 

" Alfred Smith, 

" George French, 



Mrs. George Simonds, 

Miss Alice Levet, 

Emily M. Levet, 
Sarah Harrington, 
Ella Henry, 
Elida Faulkner, 
Estella Vandenberg, 
Esther Reed, 
Frank Henry, 
Frankie Strong. 



Miss Cora Osborne's Class. 



Mrs. John Boughton, 

" Ray Ransom, 
Miss Mary Draper, 

" Alice Tiffany, 

" Nettie VanVechten, 

" Flora Craft, 

" Kittie Grinnell, 
Miss Ca.n'e Phillips, 



Miss Jennie Stafford, 

" Clara Benson, 

" Millie Norton, 

" Viola Adams, 

" Ella Brown, 

Mattie A. Bowerman, 
Martha L. Bowerman, 

" Florence Bowerman. 



io; 
Mrs. Cora J. Phillip's Class. 

Miss Cora Boughton, Miss Jennie Bacon, 

" Nellie Heath, " Ethel Waghorne, 

" Sadie McVean " Minnie Tiffany, 

" Mabel Draper, " Fanny Timmermam, 

" Agnes West. " Ella J. Peck, 

" Maggie Howland, " Minnie Preston, 

" Lizzie Shanks, " Sophia Henry. 
Zobel, 



Mr. William B. Gallup s Class. 

Mr. Webster Heath, Mr. William Moore, 

Eugene Timmerman, " Lee Wilbur, 

" Fred Levet, " Charles Phillips, 

" William Hill. Jr., " James Benson. 

" John Bennet, " John Rupprecht, 

" William J. Stafford, " L. Humphreyville, 

" Allen Ransom, " Herman Miller, 

" John Zobel, " Albert Moore. 



Mrs. Charles Moore s Class. 

Miss Gertie Cooley, Miss Minnie Cooley, 
" Myrtie Preston, " Jennie Sidell. 

•' Maggie Hotaling, " Ella Waghorne, 

" Alice J. Reid, " Maud Phillips. 

" Libbie Conover. " Mabel Conover, 



JUNIOR AND PRIMARY DEPARTMENT. 



OFFICERS. 



Mrs. David A. McVean, I c . . , 

M ,,,.,.. T5 ^ , - Superintendents, 

Mrs. Wilhan B. Osborne, \ 1 

Miss Mary Osborne, Librarian, 

Mr. Stuart McVean, Treasurer. 



io8 



Miss Lizzie Bacon's Class. 



Robert Higinbotham, Arthur Turner, 

Charles Sale, Ralph McCarthy, 

Watie Wisner, George Boltwood, 

D. Henry Osborne, Jr. Howard Bloodgood. 



Mrs. Orrin S. Bacon, [r. Class. 

Townsend Curtice, Win. Bushnell Osborne, Jr. 

Orrin S. Bacon, the III, John Levet, 

Earnest Hopkins, Marie Bloodgood, 

Frederick C. Green, William Green. 



Miss Emma L. Hammond s, Class. 

Minnie Levet, Edith Lane, 

Carrie Shanks, Cora Peck, 

Agnes Higinbotham, Camilla Sale, 

Florence Judevine, Laura Lane. 
Jessie Gallup, 



Miss Alice Park's Class. 

Eva Ransom, Ruth Parmele, 

Florence Adams, Leona Adams, 

Lola Curtice, H attic Winans, 

Irrna Reed, Vera Reed, 

Edith Timmerman, Blanch Phillips, 

Myrtie May, Clara Chase, 

Lois Grinnel, Ina E. Green. 



Mrs. Frank Hopkins Class. 

Clark Simonds, Joseph Chase, 

Delois Bennet. Fred Barnet 

Allen C. Preston, Charles Powell, 

John McCarthy, Daniel Sullivan, 

Earnest Peglow, Albert Underhill, 

Fred Peck, George Mayo. 



109 



Mrs. William Green's Class. 



Agnes Wisner, 
Susie Sid way, 
Bessie Goodnow, 



Myra Heath , 
Minnie Peglow, 
Rachella Bennet. 



Mrs. Cassius C. VanNess 1 Class. 



Ferris VanNess, 
Charles Peck, 
Clarence Boltwood, 
Robert Childs, 



J. Trumbull Backus, Jr. 
Howard McVean, 
Homer Bough ton, 
Charles Wairhorne. 



Mrs. C. 11'. Backus Class. 



Stuart McVean, 
Porter Rawson, 
Ray Vandenburgh, 
Charles Preston, 
Walter Childs, 
George McCarthy, 
Fred Peglow, 
Charles Mosher, 
John Bowerman, 
Tames Covill. 



Chester Green, 
Linas Boughton, 
John Peglow,, 
Joshua E. Bennet, 
Simon Hotaling, 
William Waghorne, 
John Bennet, 
Mac Mosher, 
Silas Bowerman. 



IE. 

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH, VICTOR, N. Y. 



The Civil and Church Law Governing the Church 
and Society. 



CIVIL LAW, STATUTORY. 

The society is to have a board of trustees, not exceeding 
nine in number, nor less than three. 

The board of trustees, as thus constituted, are to be 
divided into three classes, " to the end that the third part 
of the whole number, as nearly as possible, maybe annually 
chosen." 

NOTICE OF ELECTION. 

" One month " before the expiration of the office of 
any of the said trustees, notice " in writing'' is to be given 
by the trustees to the minister, or in case of his death or 
absence, to the elders or deacons, "specifying the names of 
the trustees whose times will expire, and the said mini-ter, 
or in case of his death or absence, one of the said church 
officers, shall proceed to duly notify the congregation of 
said vacancies and the time for the election of their 
successors. 



1 1 1 

Such notice is required to be given "'fifteen days" before 
the day of the election, and "on two successive Sabbaths" 
at the stated meeting for public worship. 

The law provides, that when an election is invalid 
" through defect of due notice, or otherwise, the trustees 
of said church, congregation or religious society, or a 
majority of them, shall immediately thereafter give notice 
thereof, in writing," as prescribed for the regular election 
and the election be held as herein prescribed. 

ELECTION. 

At the election of trustees " two " elders of the church 
are to " preside," " receive the votes of the electors," and 
be " the officers to return the 'names of the persons who by 
plurality of voices, shall be elected to serve as trustees," 
and these returning officers shall " immediately " thereafter 
certify under their hands and seals, the names of the persons 
elected to serve as trustees, " and such certificate shall 
entitle the persons elected to act as trustees." 

"And in case any trustee shall die, or refuse to act, 
or remove, within a year, notice thereof shall be given by 
the trustees as aforesaid, and a new election appointed and 
held, and another trustee be elected in his stead, in manner 

aforesaid." 

v< >TERS. 
At such election, no one may vote until they have been 
"a stated attendant on divine worship in said church . . at 

least one year before such election, and shall have 

contributed to the support of said church according 

to the usages and customs thereof, and that the clerk to 
said trustees shall keep a register of the names of all such 
persons as desire to become stated hearers in the said church 
.... and shall therein note the time when such request 
was made, and the said clerk shall attend all such subse- 
quent elections, in order to test the qualifications of such 
electors, in case the same should be questioned." 

Male and female, of full age, complying with the above 
conditions are, bv law, entitled to vote. 



I 12 



TERM OF OFFICE AND VACANCIES. 

Trustees " hold their offices during the term for which 
they were elected, and until their successors are chosen." 

A vacancy is created by expiration of term of office, 
and when any trustee resigns, or ceases to be a member of 
the society, or ceases to statedly attend upon and support 
its services, then " his place shall be declared vacant by a 
notice of the board of trustees to the church," or society 

. ."and said church shall proceed to fill the vacancy, 

as provided in the above mentioned act." 

Section 16. "Whenever a religious corporation becomes 
dissolved by any law of the state, or through neglect of any 
such law, the religious society connected with such corpo- 
ration may reincorporate itself, and thereupon, all the real 
and personal property which did belong to such dissolved 
corporation, at the time of its dissolution, shall vest in such 
new corporation for the said society. " 

The number of Trustees may be increased or diminished 
at any annual meeting, provided notice of such shall have 
been given at least two weeks before, and that the whole 
number shall not exceed nine trustees, nor be less than 
three. 

POWERS OF TRUSTEES. 

The trustees are to " have and use a common seal, 
and may renew and alter the same at their pleasure." 

They are " authorized and empowered " to take into 
their possession and custody all the temporalities belonging 
to the church, both real or personal estate, and however the 
same may have been acquired. " Also by their corporate 
name or title, to sue and be sued in all courts of law or 
equity, and to recover, hold, and enjoy all the debts, 
demands, rights and privileges, and all churches, meeting 
houses, parsonages and burying places, with the appurten- 
ances, and all estates belonging to such church, in 

whatsoever manner the same ma)- have been acquired," etc. 






H3 

Section 4- "And also to purchase and hold other 
^real and personal estate, and to demise, lease and improve 

the same for the use of said church, etc." "Also to 

repair and alter their churches or meeting-houses, and to 
erect others if necessary, and to erect dwelling-houses for the 
use of their ministers, and school-houses and other buildings 

for the use of said church, and such trustees shall also 

have power to make rules or orders for managing the tem- 
poral affairs of such church, and to dispose of all 

moneys belonging thereunto ; and to regulate and order the 
renting of the pews in their churches or meeting houses, 
and all other matters relating to the temporal concerns and 
revenues of such church, congregation, or society ; and to 
appoint a clerk and treasurer of their board, and a collector 
to collect and receive the said rents and revenues ; and to 
regulate the fees to be allowed to such clerk, treasurer and 
collector, and them, or either of them, to remove at pleasure 
and appoint others in their stead ; and such clerk shall enter 
all rules and orders made by such trustees, and payments 
ordered by them, in a book to be provided by them for that 
purpose." 

Any two trustees can call a meeting of the board at 
any time. 

A majority of the members of the board being lawfully 
com ened constitutes a quorum, and "shall be competent to 
do and perform all matters and things which such trustees 
are authorized or required to do or perform." 

A majority vote of the trustees present at a lawful 
meeting shall determine all questions and business. 

"In case of an equal division, the presiding trustee shall 
have a casting vote." 

LIMITATIONS OF POWERS. 

SECTIONS. Provides that the trustees shall not "fix or 
ascertain any salary to be paid to any minister" "of any 
church," "but the same shall be ascertained by a majority of 
persons entitled to elect trustees, at a meeting to be called 
for that purpose," and such salaries duly ratified in writing, 
shall "be paid by the said trustees out of the revenues of 
such church, congregation, or society." 



H4 

■• The trustees of any church, congregation, or religious, 
society, incorporated under said section three of the above- 
mentioned act, shall administer the temporalities thereof, 
and hold and apply the estate and property belonging there- 
to, and the revenues of the same for the benefit of said 
corporation, according to the discipline, rules and usages of 
the denomiation to which the church members of the cor- 
poration belong ; and it shall not be lawful for the trustees 
to divert such estate, property, or revenues to any other 
purpose, except toward the support and maintenance of any 
religious, benevolent or other institution connected with 
such church, congregation or religious society." 

Section ii. Provides that in the sale of church real 
estate, application must be made to a justice of the Supreme 
Court or a judge of the County Court, for an order for sale 
of any real estate belonging to the corporation, and that 
such justice or judge shall direct the application of the 
moneys arising from such sale, " to such uses as the same 
corporation, with the consent and approbation of" such 
justice, or judge, ''shall conceive to be most for the interest 
of the society to which the real estate so sold did belong." 

SHEDS. 

No lease or deed is given in this society for the land 
upon which horse-sheds are built. 

The trustees could not legally divert such property 
from church uses. 

All such property is he'd by individuals in consideration 
of their being stated attendants upon the services and 
worship of the church. 

When such attendance and its relation ceases, their 
rights in such shed property are vacated by their own act. 

Shed holders cannot sell any rights they do not possess, 
therefore cannot sell their sheds to those not stated attend- 
ants upon the church. 

The trustees have established an equitable plan of 
adjustment, when shed owners choose to change their church 
connections. 

The trustees and the shed holder, each choose a person 
to represent them. These two representatives choose a 



H5 

third. The three constitute a board of appraisement, the 
trustees taking the shed at its actual value as appraised. 
PEW RENTING. 

The pews of this society are sold anually to the highest 
bidder, the bid being either for the choice of pews, or for a 
specified pew, as the trustees see fit at the time. The annual 
sale occurs about the first Thursday in December. 

Persons not present at the sale, and newcomers during 
the year, can obtain such sittings as may be unoccupied, by 
application to the trustees. 



THE CHURCH LAW. 

Involving also the Mutual Relations ok Session 
and Trustees. 

In general, the trustees are concerned with the tempor- 
alities ; and the session with the spiritualities, including the 
control" and management of the house for purposes of 
religious worship and all that pertains thereto. 

At certain points their paths meet, and are guided by 
the following rules: 

STATE LAW. 

"The trustees shall administer the temporali- 
ties thereof, and hold and apply the estate and property 
belonging thereto; and the revenues of the same, for the 
benefit of said corporation, according to the discipline, rules 
and usages of the denomination to which the church members 
of the corporation belong." 

RESPECTIVE RIGHTS OF TRUSTEES AND SESSION IN 
CONTROLLING THE HOUSE. 

" Where a church edifice is held by trustees, the legal 
title, is vested in them; and having the title, the custody and 
care of the property, pertains to them for the uses and 
purposes for which- they hold the trust. These uses and 
purposes are the worship of God, and the employment of 
such other means of spiritual improvement as may be 
consistent with the scriptures, and according to the order 
of the church ; to which may be added, congregational 
meetings for business relating to the church or corporation. 



n6 

By the constitution of the church, the session is charged 
w i til the supervision of the spiritual interests of the congre- 
gation ; and this includes the right to direct and control the 
use of the building for the purposes of worship, as required 
or established by the special usage of the particular church, 
or the directory for worship. This being the principal 
purpose of the trust., the trustees are bound to respect the 
wishes and action of the session as to the use and occupation 
of the house of worship. The session is the organ or agent 
through whom the trustees are informed how and when the 
church building is to be occupied; and the trustees have no 
right to refuse compliance with the action of the session in 
this regard. These are general principles applicable to all 
cases, except, perhaps, in some localities where special 
statutory enactments by competent authority may confer 
other rights, or prescribe other duties." 

" But there are other purposes for which the use of the 
church edifice is sometimes desired, which, though they 
partake of a religious or intellectual character, do not fall 
within the class of objects which are properly described as 
belonging to the worship of that congregation. The house 
may not be used for such purposes without the consent of 
the trustees ; and this consent they may properly, in their 
discretion, refuse. As the function to determine what is a 
proper use of the house is vested in the session, the trustees 
have no legal right to grant the use of it for purposes which 
the session disapprove. And as the strict rights of those 
who are represented by the session to the use of the house, 
are limited to the worship of that congregation, the trustees 
are under no obligation to grant it for any other purpose." 

"When the trustees grant the use of the house to others, 
contrary to the expressed wishes of the session, and, as they 
suppose, to the prejudice of the cause of religion and of that 
church, the proper appeal is, first, to the persons composing 
the congregation to whom the trustees are responsible ; 
secondly, to the Presbytery, for their advice ; and finally, if 
necessary, to the legal tribunals." 



The above action of the highest ecclesiastical court is 
sustained by the following decision of the Supreme Court 
of the United States. 



ii7 

" In the use of the property for all religious services or 
ecclesiastical purposes, the Trustees are under the control of 
the session." Digest, p. iii. 

SUPREME COURT DECISION — EXTRACT. 

." One or two propositions, which seem to admit of no 
controversy, are proper to be noticed in this connection. 1, 

Both by the act of the Legislature, creating the trustees 

of the church a body corporate, and by the acknowledged 
rules of the Presbyterian Church the trustees were the mere 
nominal title-holders and custodians of the church property; 
and other trustees were, or could be elected by the congre- 
gation, to supply their places, once in every two years. 2, 
That in the use of the property for all religious services or 
ecclesiastical purposes, the trustees were under the control 
'of the church session. 3, That by the constitution of all 
Presbyterian churches, the session, which is the governing 
body in each, is composed of the ruling elders and pastor ; 
and in all business of the session a majority of its members, 
(present) " govern; the number of elders for each congrega- 
tion being variable." 

" The trustees obviously hold possession for the use of 
persons who, by the constitution, usages, and laws of the Pres- 
byterian body are entitled to that use. They are liable to 
removal by the congregation for whom they hold this trust ; 
and others may be substituted in their places. They have 
no personal ownership or right beyond this, and are subject, 
in their official relations to the property, to the control of the 
session of the church." 

" The possession of the elders, though accompanied with 
larger and more efficient powers of control, is still a fiduciary 
possession. It is as a session of the church alone that they 
could exercise power. Except by an order of the session in 
regular meeting, they have no right to make any order con- 
cerning the use of the building; and any action of the session 
is necessarily in the character of representatives of the church 
body by whose members it was elected." 

Upon the back of the above judical decision which was 
made in 1872, and in accord with the same, the general 
assembly of 1874, adopted the following: 

1. " The constitution of our church charges «the session 
with the supervision of the spiritual interests of the congre- 
gation, and all services and matters pertaining thereto; and 



ITS 

that any action, by the board of trustees, unauthorized by 
the congregation, tending to annul or contravene in an)- wax- 
such supervision and control, is illegal and void." 

2. " That as regards the church building, Sabbath- 
school and lecture-room, the trustees have no right to grant 
or with-hold the use of either, against the wishes or consent 
of the session." 

In 1869 the concurrent general assemblies, old and new- 
school, now become one, ordered that "imperfectly organized 
churches are counseled and expected to become thoroughly 
Presbyterian, as early within the period of five years as may 
be permitted by the highest interest to be consulted, and no 
such churches shall be hereafter received." 

a. The church session consists of pastor and ruling 
elders. — Digest, p. 123. 

b. A minister and two elders constitute a quorum. 

c. The vote of the session is the reception to member- 
ship, and must involve baptism. — Digest, p. 129. 

d. Members of other evangelical churches are received 
on certificate. — Digest, p. 130. 

e. Public worship — spiritual affairs. 

1. "By our constitution (form of government, chap. 9, 
sec. 6, and directory for worship, chap. 4, sec. 4), the whole 
internal arrangement of a church, as to worship and order, 
is committed to the minister and sess on." — Digest, p. 782. 

2. The "delicate and important matter of arranging 
and conducting the music as to them shall seem most for 
edification," is left "to each session." — Digest, p. 782. 

3. Directory for worship, (chap. 4, sec. 4). " The pro- 
portion of the time of public worship to be spent in singing 
is left to the prudence of every minister; but it is recom- 
mended that more time be allowed for this excellent part of 
divine service than has been usual in most of our churches." 

f. " The session has no power to prohibit collections 
ordered by the assembly." — Digest, p. 131. 

g. Sabbath school and church. 

The Sabbath school is "an important auxiliary to the 
church in the instruction and religious culture of her children. 



ho. 

As such it naturally comes under the direction of the 
pastor and session of each church, and they should ever be 
recognized as its proper guardians and superiors." 

"They have no more right to relinquish this solemn res- 
ponsibility than they have to give up the care, discipline 
and instruction of the church." 

" With this obvious fact of the responsibilities of pas- 
tors for the children of their churches, the general assembly 
does hereby set forth the following principles as guides to 
pastors and sessions in fulfilling their duties in respect to the 
Sabbath School work:" 

i. "The pastoral office involves the practical super- 
vision of the Sabbath school. 

The pastor should frequently, if not constantly, be pres- 
ent to counsel and aid those who may under him be engaged 
in the work of instruction." 

2. " While the Holy Bible is the great text-book of the 
Sabbath school, it is eminently fitting that the summary of 
Christian doctrine as contained in ouradmirable Shorter Cat- 
echism should also be taught, and that a lesson therefrom 
should be recited at least once a month, and that at least 
once in a quarter the pastor himself should examine the 
whole school therein, adding thereto such explanations and 
illustrations as may to him seem proper." 

3, "The books of the Sabbath school library should be 
wholly subject to the supervision of the pastor and ruling 
elders, and no work, except it be published by our Board of 
Publication, shall be admitted, which they have not ap- 
proved. In this examination care should be taken that no 
book receives their sanction which might give the minds of 
children a bias unfavorable to the order, doctrine and prac- 
tices of our church, or which might beget a taste for friv- 
olous literature, or which does not impart some weighty 
truth or important information." — Digest, p. 645. 

BENEVOLENCE. 
"That so far as practicable each church should defray 
the expenses of its own Sabbath schools as a part of its 



120 



current expense, and the children be practically educated to 
make their offerings directly and intelligently to the benev- 
olent work of the church." — G. A. Minutes 1887, p. 122. 

h. The moneys for the poor are under the charge of 
the Deacons. 

DISTINCTION BETWEEN THE CHURCH AND THE SOCIETY OR 
CONGREGATION. 

1. The "church consists of a number of professing 
Christians with their offspring, voluntarily associated to- 
gether for divine worship, and godly living, agreeably to the 
holy Scriptures; and submitting to a certain form of govern- 
ment." — Digest, p. 10S. 

2. The society or congregation, consists of those and 
their children, church members or otherwise, who are stated 
attendants on divine worship, and contribute to its support 
according to the customs or usages thereof. 

3. Those of a mature age, without respect to sex, are 
entitled to vote in their respective departments. 

4. The jurisdiction of the church and session pertains 
to the spiritual affairs, including the election of elders and 
deacons and management of religious services. » 

5. The jurisdiction of the society or congregation per- 
tains to the temporalities, including the election of trustees. 
And also the right to vote on the question of calling a min- 
ister, and fix the amount of ccunpensation to be offered him. 



IF. 



ECCLESIASTICAL COUNCILS 
AND SUPPLIES. 



COUNCILS. 

The following councils met in Victor, in addition to 
those already mentioned as convening for installation, and 
dissolution of pastoral relation. 

October 7, 1802 
Rev. Joseph Grover, Rev. James Hotchkin, Rev. Tim- 
othy Field; Rev. Abijah Warren. 

March 7, 18 10 
Rev. Oliver Ayer, Rev. Aaron C. Collins, Rev. Eben 
Norton. Rev. Timothy Buel. 

January 1 1, 181 1 
Rev. Howell P. Powell, Rev. Aaron C. Collins, Rev. 
John Niles, Deacon Perinton Paine, from Phelps, Mr. Brown, 
from Elmira. 

June 20, 181 1 
Rev. Aaron C. Collins, Rev. Howell P. Powell, Rev. 
Lyman Barrett. 

December 15 ,1813 
Rev. Oliver Ayer, Rev, Aaron, C. Collins, Rev. E/.ekiel 
T. Chapman, Rev. Dennis 0. Griswold, Rev. John Adams. 
April 6, 1825 
Rev. John Taylor, Rev. C. Thorpe. Rev Abijah 
Warren. 



122 

March 13, 1827 
Rev. John Taylor, Rev. Ebenezer Raymond, Rev. 
Avelyn Sedgwick, Rev. John C. Whittlesey, Rev. James 
Cahoon; convened at residence of William Bushnell, 
A few of the more prominent supplies. 
Rev. Joseph Groverj Rev. Aaron C. Collins, Rev. 
( Hiver Ayer, Rev. Charles Moshier, Rev. Julius. Steele, Rev. 
Solomom Allen, Rev. John Taylor, Rev. Ebenezer Fitch, 

D. D., Rev. Silas C. Brown, Rev. Byron Bosworth, Rev. 

E. A. Piatt, Rev. Dr. A. G. Hall, Rev. Henry M. Morey, 
Rev. Luther Concklin, Rev. John E. Baker, Rev. Frede- 
rick H. Adams, Rev. Louis Bodwell, Rev. Joseph McNulty, 
Rev. Charles Kittredge, Rev. Wm. A. Smith, Rev. Walter 
S. Drysdale, Rev. Dr. Doughal McColl. 

Rev. Nathaniel Steele of East Bloomfield, preached 
occasionally in Victor prior to the organization of the 
church. 

Miss Sarah F. Smiley, Mrs. Elizabeth Comstock, and 
Mrs. Mary J. Weaver, addressed a temperance gathering 
in the church in 1871, and subsequently Miss Mary S. 
Knowles. 

These are only some of many whose presence have 
added interest to this pulpit. 

Most of the above are recorded as administering the 
Lord's Supper. The records in this, as in many other 
respects are defective in interesting features peculiar to 
the life of every church. 



ERRATA. 



2, Note, 1798 for 1788. 
6, line 24, lediox lead. 



6, " 28, after on insert to. 
8, " 20, ( " ) after firing. 
20, " ! 16, 1799 for 1779. 
33, " 7, derelict. 
39' " S, government. 
p. 62, y. Trumbull for Trumbcll. 
p. 64, line 1, 1885 for 1880. 

p. 64, read Young People's Sabbath Evening prayer- 
meeting was reestablished, 
p, 84, Eliphlia Beach. 
p. 103, Harry Pimm. 
p. 1 15, line 4, annually. 
Other press mistakes are unimportant 



